Large Transport; Low Wing; 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Distraction; Situational Awareness; Confusion; Communication Breakdown
ATC Issue All Types; Airspace Violation All Types; Deviation - Speed All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Airport; Procedure; Weather
We were coming into MSY on the RYTHM arrival; which ties directly to the RNAV 20. Sometime around OYSTY; Approach cleared us to 2000 feet; slowed us to 210; and cleared us for the approach. We were in IMC. We descended to be outside JASPO (the FAF) at 2000. This resulted in us getting down to 2000 prior to 15 NM from MSY (outside the Class B); doing about 210 knots. When we got to RAYOP; Approach said; you are reentering the Class B. Oh. Whoops. Class B excursion. This whole Class B thing has become such an issue that I don't even know what is right anymore. Clearly we were speeding below the lateral limits. However; I was under the impression that the Class B excursions have been occurring during VISUAL approaches; where the pilots are operating on their own recognizance; and descend too soon. In THIS case; we under ATC control; on an instrument approach; and in IMC. The controller gave us a clearance below the floor of the Class B; and at a high speed. I didn't think they were supposed to do that; especially since we were at an ATC assigned speed too high for that position. Are we really supposed to be trapping this type of ATC error too; without the tools to do so? So maybe he did that on purpose; I just don't understand what's going on. And if he did; he did not warn us that we might go out the bottom; and he didn't tell us when we did so.
[Report narrative contained no additional information.]
Air carrier flight crew reported transitioning from the MSY RYTHM Arrival to the Runway 20 RNAV at 2;000 feet and were notified reentering Class B . The crew was not aware the aircraft was below Class B at 210 knots in IMC.