A B747-400 CLBS EARLY TO A HIGHER ALT IN NTTT AIRSPACE.

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XX35Z -- REQUEST CLB TO FL350 DUE TO ACFT PERFORMANCE. XX39Z -- AT XY08Z CLB TO AND MAINTAIN FL350. XX40Z -- RESPONSE WILCO. BOTH PF AND PNF READ AND VERIFIED THE XX39Z UPLINK. BOTH MISREAD THE CLRNC. THE 'AT XY08Z; CLB TO' DID NOT REGISTER IN OUR BRAINS -- WE ONLY SAW THE 'CLB TO AND MAINTAIN FL350.' XX42Z -- PF STARTED FROM FL310 FOR FL350 26 MINS EARLY. XX54Z -- RPT LEVEL FL350. BOTH PF AND PNF WERE VERY TIRED. RELIEF PLTS WERE AWAKENED AT XX39Z AND XX44Z. SEAT CHANGES WERE COMPLETE AT APPROX XX54Z. XY04Z -- 'TEDAG' POS RPT 'DATA LINKED.' XY11Z -- YOU WERE CLRED TO CLB AT FL350 AT TIME XY08. XY14Z -- RESPONSE; ROGER. HUMAN PERFORMANCE CONSIDERATIONS: 1) BOTH PF AND PNF FEEL THAT HAD THEY BEEN NOT TIRED; THEY WOULD NOT HAVE MISSED THE 'AT XY08Z CLB.' 2) CAPT USED BAD JUDGEMENT IN NOT WAKING RELIEF PLTS EARLIER THAN PLANNED -- TO PUT RESTED PEOPLE IN CTL OF ACFT. SHOULD DATA LINK CLRNCS WITH 'CONTINGENCIES' NOT BE ISSUED? CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR PARTICIPATED IN THE FANS STRUCTURED CALLBACK PROGRAM. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THE RPTR HAD USED FANS FOR POS RPTING. HE NEVER HAD TRAINING IN THE ACTUAL USE OF FANS HARDWARE OTHER THAN WHAT WAS WRITTEN IN THE FLT MANUAL. HIS FLYING OF RTES NEVER ALLOWED FANS PROCS TO BE USED UNTIL THIS FLT. HE STATED THAT THE FANS MECHS WERE NOT FAMILIAR WITH HIM ENOUGH TO BE COMFORTABLE. HE FELT AWKWARD USING IT. CONDITIONAL CLRNCS WERE EASILY MISUNDERSTOOD. AFTER 2 MONTHS SINCE THE INCIDENT AND REVIEWING ALL THE TECHNIQUES OF FANS; HE IS NOW COMFORTABLE WITH FANS AND HIGHLY APPROVES OF ITS USE. HE STILL IS CONFUSED ABOUT THE DIFFERENCES BTWN FANS AND ACARS. HE NOW CHOOSES TO USE FANS WHENEVER POSSIBLE.