Narrative:

This is a safety issue addressing SID's in general and mem specifically. Mem had 1 basic and simple SID since for as far back as I can remember. This all changed during the early may 2012 navigation update cycle. Mem went from 1 simple SID to 20 complicated SID's. This huge increase in SID options has created severe safety issues that must be addressed. 1. The sids are poorly understood by the pilots operating out of mem. 2. The sids are poorly understood by ATC. 3. The SID's descriptions are extremely long and have way too many caveats that can be over looked and cause a safety of flight issue. Today I filed a flight plan from mem via elvis.etree MSL. Clearance delivery cleared the flight: ELVIS1 etree transition flight plan route. Once airborne off runway 18L; I was given a turn to heading 080 and told to join the ELVIS1 SID. I then requested direct to etree. Controller said that I needed to go ahead and intercept the mem/098 radial inbound to etree as published because ATC expected me to continue on the mem/098 radial once passing etree. The SID states 'expect vectors to join assigned transition radial. Crossing the transition fix; continue on current heading; expect vectors from memphis center to join filed route.' there is a big difference between flying a radial and flying a heading. The controller said the SID required me to continue on the mem/098 after etree. The SID states 'crossing the transition fix; continue on present heading.' this may be a small point in the scope of things; but please take a look at how complicated we have made things for both the flight crews and ATC. The ELVIS1 SID is 3 pages long and chocked full of things that can result in a safety of flight issue. The ATC controllers at mem will be the first to tell you that they do not understand all the caveats on the 20 new mem sids they have told us this as we question them during the departure climb-outs since may. If they are still having problems; imagine a citation departing mem with a single pilot at night in the weather and trying to understand these overly complicated sids with multiple pages of descriptions. I request that the FAA take a look at this and redesign sids using the kiss principal of keeping it simple.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CE525 Captain laments the seeming complexity of the ELVIS1 departure from MEM and the lack of understanding by both pilots and controllers.

Narrative: This is a Safety Issue addressing SID's in general and MEM specifically. MEM had 1 basic and simple SID since for as far back as I can remember. This all changed during the early May 2012 navigation update cycle. MEM went from 1 simple SID to 20 complicated SID's. This huge increase in SID options has created severe safety issues that must be addressed. 1. The SIDs are poorly understood by the pilots operating out of MEM. 2. The SIDs are poorly understood by ATC. 3. The SID's descriptions are extremely long and have way too many caveats that can be over looked and cause a safety of flight issue. Today I filed a flight plan from MEM via ELVIS.ETREE MSL. Clearance Delivery cleared the flight: ELVIS1 ETREE Transition Flight Plan Route. Once airborne off Runway 18L; I was given a turn to HDG 080 and told to join the ELVIS1 SID. I then requested direct to ETREE. Controller said that I needed to go ahead and intercept the MEM/098 radial inbound to ETREE as published because ATC expected me to continue on the MEM/098 radial once passing ETREE. The SID states 'Expect vectors to join assigned transition radial. Crossing the transition fix; continue on current heading; expect vectors from Memphis Center to join filed route.' There is a big difference between flying a radial and flying a heading. The Controller said the SID required me to continue on the MEM/098 after ETREE. The SID states 'Crossing the transition Fix; continue on present heading.' This may be a small point in the scope of things; but please take a look at how complicated we have made things for both the flight crews and ATC. The ELVIS1 SID is 3 pages long and chocked full of things that can result in a safety of flight issue. The ATC controllers at MEM will be the first to tell you that they do not understand all the caveats on the 20 new MEM SIDs they have told us this as we question them during the departure climb-outs since May. If they are still having problems; imagine a Citation departing MEM with a single pilot at night in the weather and trying to understand these overly complicated SIDs with multiple pages of descriptions. I request that the FAA take a look at this and redesign SIDs using the KISS principal of Keeping It Simple.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2013 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.