Large Transport; Low Wing; 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Situational Awareness; Confusion; Communication Breakdown; Workload
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation - Altitude Crossing Restriction Not Met; Deviation - Altitude Overshoot; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification
Procedure; Human Factors
Flight was cleared as filed from CLRNC delivery before departure. The BRDJE arrival was the filed arrival. We were not issued a different arrival even though the BRDJE is for north flow and DFW was apparently landing south. As is the usual occurrence; ATC vectored us off the arrival; more than once if memory serves and then cleared us direct to and to descend via the arrival. The controller first cleared us to descend via the arrival; then issued a 'descend and maintain' CLRNC to 12000. I called for clarification of the descent clearance because the controller appeared to think we were high; but we were well below the profile. At that time; the controller realized that we were not on the arrival he thought we were on and issued vectors (basically a holding pattern) while we reprogramed the FMGC to the desired arrival.We were never issued a CLRNC for an arrival other than the flight plan cleared arrival (BRDJE). In retrospect; I realize that the controller told us what he expected; but we didn't realize the implication of his words because we were too busy attempting to comply with his speed; heading and altitude requests. We; the flight crew; had no idea that he was trying to help us make a crossing restriction; because off course vectors - along with speed and altitude changes - have become commonplace on arrivals into the DFW terminal area. The SEEVR and BRDJE arrivals include numerous common waypoints. The SEEVR arrival is often issued as direct BRDJE; and the BRDJE arrival is often cleared as direct SEEVR. After the off course vectors; the controller cleared us to BRDJE [and] told us to descend via the arrival; at which time it was beginning to be obvious that something was not 'adding up'. I then asked for clarification of the descent CLRNC; at which time the controller recognized that we were not on the 'same page' Upon reflection; then center controller was obviously concerned about our ability to make a crossing restriction; BUT MADE NO MENTION OF HIS CONCERN TO US; he simply gave us an off course vector; which was no cause for alarm in the cockpit because off course vectors have become an every arrival affair into Regional Approach. (We were well above the desired flight path for our cleared arrival) Had the controller inquired of us our intentions; or communicated his doubts about our ability to make his crossing restriction; we would have been able to clarify what fix we were attempting to cross and at what altitude; which would have immediately informed him which arrival we were following. I believe that these situations will continue to occur as long as the controllers attempt to work traffic inbound to Regional Approach as they did before the airspace was realigned. Continuous changes to speed; course; altitude; combined with a multitude of arrival procedures that include common fixes and names is just too complicated [of] an environment. Even the controllers; sitting in their Zero KTS per second desk chairs; can't keep up with the changes.
An air carrier crew was cleared at departure to DFW with filed BRDJE One Arrival (RNAV). Entering the terminal airspace; they were cleared for the arrival but were not told the SEEVR One Arrival (RNAV) was active. As a result; the flight crew did not meet the crossing restrictions.