Narrative:

We were cleared for immediate takeoff and at that time no transponder code or other clearance instructions were given. At the time of initial contact with clearance delivery, the clearance was delayed and permission to taxi via ground control was suggested. Ground was contacted and taxi instructions included 'taxi to runway 27R.' tower was contacted at 27R and we had yet been given any heading or altitude. We asked for clearance through the area and were told to climb and maintain 2500 ft cleared for immediate takeoff. Upon reaching about 2300 ft tower instructed turn right to 310 degrees. Thereafter another voice on tower frequency advised us to turn right immediately and that the sfo TCA had been penetrated inadvertently. The crew was under the assumption that clearance to climb on runway heading to 2500 ft had been previously approved. Since the initial contact to clearance delivery for clearance was to establish a TCA climb to 10500 ft to circle and fly over a predetermined area northwest of the area, the crew felt the facts and purpose of our requested clearance had been directed to the proper channels in an arsa/TCA environment. When tower was questioned as to the initial climb out to maintain 10500 ft, the crew consequently was given an altitude of 2500 ft and clearance for immediate takeoff. At that time the crew felt that clearance into all controled airspace was thought to have been established.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CONFUSION REGARDING CLRNC WITHIN ARSA AND THROUGH THE TCA. CREW THOUGHT THEY HAD OBTAINED SUCH CLRNC. ATC APPARENTLY DID NOT ACTUALLY GIVE SUCH CLRNC.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED FOR IMMEDIATE TKOF AND AT THAT TIME NO XPONDER CODE OR OTHER CLRNC INSTRUCTIONS WERE GIVEN. AT THE TIME OF INITIAL CONTACT WITH CLRNC DELIVERY, THE CLRNC WAS DELAYED AND PERMISSION TO TAXI VIA GND CTL WAS SUGGESTED. GND WAS CONTACTED AND TAXI INSTRUCTIONS INCLUDED 'TAXI TO RWY 27R.' TWR WAS CONTACTED AT 27R AND WE HAD YET BEEN GIVEN ANY HDG OR ALT. WE ASKED FOR CLRNC THROUGH THE AREA AND WERE TOLD TO CLB AND MAINTAIN 2500 FT CLRED FOR IMMEDIATE TKOF. UPON REACHING ABOUT 2300 FT TWR INSTRUCTED TURN RIGHT TO 310 DEGS. THEREAFTER ANOTHER VOICE ON TWR FREQ ADVISED US TO TURN RIGHT IMMEDIATELY AND THAT THE SFO TCA HAD BEEN PENETRATED INADVERTENTLY. THE CREW WAS UNDER THE ASSUMPTION THAT CLRNC TO CLB ON RWY HDG TO 2500 FT HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY APPROVED. SINCE THE INITIAL CONTACT TO CLRNC DELIVERY FOR CLRNC WAS TO ESTABLISH A TCA CLB TO 10500 FT TO CIRCLE AND FLY OVER A PREDETERMINED AREA NW OF THE AREA, THE CREW FELT THE FACTS AND PURPOSE OF OUR REQUESTED CLRNC HAD BEEN DIRECTED TO THE PROPER CHANNELS IN AN ARSA/TCA ENVIRONMENT. WHEN TWR WAS QUESTIONED AS TO THE INITIAL CLBOUT TO MAINTAIN 10500 FT, THE CREW CONSEQUENTLY WAS GIVEN AN ALT OF 2500 FT AND CLRNC FOR IMMEDIATE TKOF. AT THAT TIME THE CREW FELT THAT CLRNC INTO ALL CTLED AIRSPACE WAS THOUGHT TO HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.