Falcon 900
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Multiengine
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 100; Flight Crew Total 10800; Flight Crew Type 127
Situational Awareness; Confusion
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Ground Incursion Runway
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Human Factors; Airport
[At SFO; we] received taxi instruction from the Ground Controller; Taxi to Runway 01L; right turn on Charlie; Zulu hold short of Bravo. I was confused how we would join taxiway Zulu from Charlie; so I read back the taxi clearance for verification; the Controller than gave us additional clearance to hold short of C1 on Charlie. While we held short of C1; we received additional clearance to continue taxi via Z; we did not realize that Zulu taxiway begins in the intersection between C; C1. In addition there are no signs to provide situational awareness that we were leaving Taxiway Charlie and joining a new Taxiway Zulu; looking back the only indication we had was our heading indicators. As a result; we made a left turn on Charlie 1 and crossed the departure end of Runway 28R and joined Sierra 3. Recommendations; when taxing Northwest bound on Charlie; to join Zulu; the heading reference should remain 281 degrees until passing Charlie 1; after this point; the headings should begin to gradually decrease slowly to about 270 degrees; followed by a heading to about 190 degrees until abeam the departure end of the runway. A sharp turn to about a heading of 170 degrees from Charlie to Charlie 1 will head the aircraft to cross Runway 28R. Taxiway Zulu becomes Taxiway Bravo at B1; when heading Southeast on Bravo; Taxiway Juliet and Foxtrot can be easily confused; and both taxiways will take you across Runway 01L; once again a heading reference must be made. This area needs additional signs and indications.
[No additional information provided in narrative 2.]
Falcon flight crew experiences confusion at SFO after receiving instructions to taxi via Taxiways C; Z; and B. A turn is initiated at C1 and a runway incursion results at the approach end of Runway 10L.