Regional Jet 200 ER/LR (CRJ200)
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Human Factors; Procedure
Approaching the end of the MODESTO FIVE arrival; the Captain had to query ATC which runway to expect.NORCAL responded '28 right'. A minute later; NORCAL cleared us for the 'FMS 28R'. Due to lack of familiarity with the arrival/FMS visual we had not loaded the approach beforehand and were not able to immediately find and load the approach in the FMS. We had to ask NORCAL for vectors/visual approach. We continued the approach and landing without incident and without any loss of separation.We believe the controller was referring to the 'FMS bridge visual 28R approach' when he cleared us for the 'FMS 28R' approach. Experimenting on the ground we found that this is identified in our FMS as the 'RNV28R' approach.If we were advised earlier in the arrival; we could have identified and loaded the approach.I guess you just have to know what is coming by having flown with someone else in the past who is familiar with the arrival. I got the impression that the MOD5 always ends in an ILS28R or an 'FMS bridge visual 28R approach' and the controllers expect everyone to know that.
CRJ-200 First Officer reported confusion in the cockpit when they were cleared for approach to Runway 28R but were not sure; because of terminology issues; which procedure to load in the FMS.