A319
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Total 22000
Situational Awareness
Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Aircraft; Human Factors; Procedure
Filed cruise [altitude was] FL240. Just north of BURRZ intersection; cleared to descend via CHSLY3 Arrival. Set and confirmed bottom altitude of 6;000 feet. Activated managed flight on FMCG. Aircraft began descending. At approximately FL230; First Officer pointed out that crossing altitude at BURRZ was to be FL240 and that descent should not have started until BURRZ. I began to stop descent using vertical speed zero. At FL220 aircraft leveled off; at which time ATC asked if there was a problem he needed to know about. I told him I miscalculated descent and asked if there was going to be a conflict or problem. He said no [and] told us to contact next frequency for lower. Next frequency said nothing different and then gave us a phone number to call on the ground. Also; he failed to reissue a 'descent via' clearance which I had to question immediately because that failure starts a difficult catch up scenario in this airplane.Once on the ground I contacted ATC by phone. I spoke to Washington Center Operations Manager. I asked if this was a big deal for me and this is what he said exactly. He said NO; it was not because [our company] has been aware of this problem with their Airbus 320 series aircraft for over 2 years now and that this incident happens all the time every day with CHSLY3 Arrival and they are trying to rectify situation. He said he had to report it so it could be added to the database and that all I had to do was file [a report] and notify my Chief Pilot. That's it. My situational awareness is mostly to blame. I'm also very low time in this aircraft and still honing my skill. CRM could also have contributed.
A319 Captain reported descending early on arrival clearance.