C560 FLC DISAGREE ON VISUAL APCH CLRNC ISSUED BY D10 INTO DAL; DSNDING PRIOR TO BEING ESTABLISHED ON FINAL APCH.

Narrative

I WAS CAPT. WE WERE ON AN IFR FLT PLAN; AND MY FO WAS THE PF. WE PROCEEDED INBOUND TO DAL VIA THE CEDAR CREEK ARR. APCH CTL GAVE US RADAR VECTOR FOR A L DOWNWIND TO RWY 13L; AND ADVISED US TO CALL THE FIELD IN SIGHT. AT APPROX ABEAM THE NUMBERS; WE CALLED FIELD IN SIGHT. THE APCH CTLR REPLIED; 'ACFT; CLRED FOR THE VISUAL RWY 13L; MAINTAIN 3000 FT TILL FINAL; CONTACT THE TWR.' I THEN CONTACTED DAL TWR AND THEY ADVISED 'CLRED TO LAND RWY 13L.' THE CONFUSION BEGAN WHEN THE FO BEGAN TO DSND FROM 3000 FT PRIOR TO REACHING FINAL. HE STATED THAT ONCE THE TWR CLRED US TO LAND THAT HE FELT WE COULD MANEUVER AND DSND AT WILL TO LAND ON RWY 13L. I FELT WE MUST MAINTAIN 3000 FT TILL FINAL AS ADVISED BY THE APCH CTLR. THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION IN THE COCKPIT ABOUT WHAT TO DO. DURING THIS DISCUSSION WE DSNDED TO APPROX PATTERN ALT BEFORE TURNING FINAL RWY 13L. I FEEL THESE CONDITIONS AND TERM ARE NOT PRESENTED IN CLR ENOUGH TERMS. I THINK THE TWR SHOULD ALSO STATE 'MAINTAIN 3000 FT TILL ESTABLISHED ON FINAL.' I CONTACTED THE DAL TWR TO ASK ABOUT THE PROC; AND THEY STATED IT WAS A 'BIG GRAY AREA.'