AN SF340 FLC DSNDS BELOW 2600 FT DURING THE APCH TO TPA. THE ACFT WAS ON APCH TO RWY LOC APCH 36L WHICH CROSSES MCF AFB AT 2600 FT AND PLACES IT HIGH ON THE GS.

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WE WERE AT 5000 FT ON A RADAR VECTOR TO INTERCEPT RWY 36L LOC AT TPA AND DSND DOWN TO 2600 FT MSL. WE NORMALLY RECEIVE A CLRNC SIMILAR TO THIS TO CROSS MACDILL AFB AT OR ABOVE 2600 FT MSL AND CLRED FOR THE LOC RWY 36L. THIS IS WHY I BELIEVE THE FO UNDERSTOOD WE WERE CLRED BELOW 2600 FT MSL ONCE WE WERE N OF MACDILL. (ENGLISH IS ALSO HIS SECOND LANGUAGE.) WHEN I REALIZED HE WAS AT 2300 FT; 1 DOT HIGH ON THE GS; I STOPPED HIM FROM DSNDING. THIS IS WHEN IT TOOK ME 3 XMISSIONS TO REQUEST A VISUAL FROM APCH. APCH ASKED ME FOR MY ALT; THEN TOLD US 'NEVER MIND; I KNOW WHAT ALT YOU'RE AT. YOU ARE THE SECOND ONE TODAY FROM YOUR COMPANY TO DO THIS; CLRED FOR THE VISUAL RWY 36L.' THERE WAS NO CONFLICT WITH ANY TFC NOTED VISUALLY OR ON OUR TCASII. I THOUGHT HE JUST PLAIN FORGOT ABOUT US. HAD THE DSCNT BEEN DELAYED ANY LONGER; WE WOULD HAVE BEEN OUT OF POS TO LAND THE ACFT ON THE DESIGNATED RWY. I BELIEVE THE 2 MAIN CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO THIS SLIGHT DEV WERE: 1) IT WAS ALMOST IDENTICAL TO THE CLRNC WE NORMALLY RECEIVE. 2) IT WAS NOT UNTIL WE WOULD HAVE BEEN WELL N (TOO HIGH ON THE GS) BEFORE WE WOULD RECEIVE A DSCNT CLRNC. THIS IS WHY I FEEL A PREVIOUS COMPANY ACFT MADE THE SAME MISTAKE.