A DORNIER FLC DSNDED BELOW AN ALT RESTR ON DSCNT TO RIC. THE ALT RESTR IS CLRLY NOTED BY BOTH PLTS.

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FLC CAPT PNF DOING RADIO; ETC. FO; PF. FLYING NBOUND FROM GSP TO DCA FLC RECEIVED FOLLOWING CLRNC FROM RICHMOND APCH: 'CROSS EPICS AT 10000 FT; DSND AND MAINTAIN 8000 FT.' FO INTERPRETED THIS CLRNC TO MEAN AN IMMEDIATE DSCNT TO 8000 FT WAS ALLOWED (THE USUAL CLRNC RECEIVED AT THIS LOC IS 'EPICS AT 10000 FT OR BELOW; DSND AND MAINTAIN 8000 FT.') FO WAS A NEWLY UPGRADED CAPT WITH LOW TIME WHO IS NOW QUITE SURE SHE KNOWS WHAT IS RIGHT. CRM AT THIS AIRLINE HAS HAD THE EFFECT OF GIVING THE CAPT ONLY A VOTE AS TO WHAT IS CORRECT -- THE CAPT TAKING THE ACFT AT A TIME SUCH AS THIS COULD LEAD TO SERIOUS POLITICAL TROUBLE. IT'S TIME TO RETURN SOME AUTH TO THE L SEAT; BUT I'M AFRAID THOSE DAYS ARE PAST. THE COMPANY WILL NOT BACK A CAPT; PARTICULARLY IN A CONFLICT WITH A WOMAN. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 447833: I WAS ASSIGNED A CLRNC BY RICHMOND APCH TO CROSS EPICS AT 10000 FT AND TO DSND TO 8000 FT. I BEGAN A DSCNT FROM 14000 FT AND WAS AT 9200 FT AT EPICS AND CONTINUING DOWN TO 8000 FT. AS I PASSED EPICS; THE CTLR ASKED WHY I WAS BELOW 10000 FT AT EPICS. I EXPLAINED I HAD UNDERSTOOD THE CLRNC WAS TO BE AT OR BELOW 10000 FT AT EPICS. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT BOTH CREW MEMBERS DISCUSS A CLRNC TO MAKE SURE THEY BOTH UNDERSTAND WHAT IS BEING ISSUED AND TO CLARIFY ANY MISUNDERSTANDINGS.