Falcon 50
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 50; Flight Crew Total 11000; Flight Crew Type 100
Communication Breakdown; Confusion; Human-Machine Interface
Deviation - Altitude Crossing Restriction Not Met; Deviation - Altitude Overshoot; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert
Procedure; Airport; Chart Or Publication; Human Factors
Captain and I both briefed the SID; reviewed together. Clearance was to fly the SID; which we did; setting 9;000 FT as the terminal altitude in the climb. On our initial call; I stated the altitude climbing to; 9;000 FT.Take a look at this chart now; before reading on.TRACON said we should have stopped climb at 8;000. No traffic conflict. We found the 8;000 FT referenced; in the 'ROUTING' section of the chart. Compare that to the altitude note in 'INITIAL CLIMB' and the box note at GOALY.Controller is correct. I'll bet there are plenty of events.This is really screwed up. Find the guy who made this chart; and suspend HIS certificate.Do you see that the instructions in the Initial Climb is EXACTLY what we did? I truly don't see why they made this chart this way. It really needs your help to fix it.Controller noted that this mistake is common.
The reporter advised that he received his clearance from clearance delivery (not via PDC) and was specifically cleared to 'climb via...' the SNOBL departure. He further expanded on his original commentary; advising a 'logical' interpretation to the format of the SID would be the following: First; per the graphic depictions and the INITIAL CLIMB text; climb to cross GOALY at (or below) 9;000. Second; track to QUAKY. Third; descend; if necessary; so as to be at 8;000 prior to reaching QUAKY so as to comply with the restriction; 'From QUAKY...MAINTAIN 8;000 FT.' [Note in particular the use of the word 'From' meaning beyond].Reporter believes that if any 'climb via' restriction is in violation of the generic 8;000 FT restriction in the 'ROUTING' text it should be included in the clearance; i.e. 'climb via the SNOBL departure; except maintain 8;000 FT.' He also noted that doing so is; however; in direct contradiction to the entire concept of 'climb via' clearances; i.e. climbing via charted altitude restrictions...in this case crossing GOALY at or below 9;000 FT being the sole example.
When cleared by Clearance Delivery to 'climb via' the PHX SNOBL RNAV departure off the east runway complex the flight crew of a Falcon 50 climbed so as to cross GOALY at or below 9;000 FT as depicted on the graphic and described in the INITIAL CLIMB text box. As they climbed through 8;000 FT ATC advised they were required to maintain 8;000 FT as stated in the ROUTING text box.