Gulfstream V / G500 / G550
Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 35; Flight Crew Total 5200; Flight Crew Type 1000
Communication Breakdown; Confusion
ATC Issue All Types
Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Human Factors; Chart Or Publication
STAR changed due to weather at MSY; given a clearance of direct Tibby and change to OLEDD 1 Arrival. Looking at the arrival 'Tibby is spelled out as 'TIBBY.' It happens to be a VOR with an identifier of TBD. Since the spelling is a 5 letter word the crew attempted to enter this in the FMS as TIBBY. The system could not locate this fix. Once we figured out that this was a VOR and not an RNAV fix; we entered TBD and navigated direct. Pilots are used to the 5 letters of a fix being the norm on most arrivals we fly now. Most of the VOR's have longer names than 5 letters. Possibly a better clearance to this fix would be; direct Tibby VOR.
GV Captain reports being confused by a clearance direct to Tibby then the OLEDD1 arrival to MSY. Attempts to enter TIBBY into the FMC are unsuccessful until the crew realizes that Tibby is a VOR and should be entered as TBD.