Air carrier advtech widebody transport flight crew objects to amended departure clearance.

Attributes
ACN	140512
Time
Date	199003
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ewr airport : n90
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure other departure sid : sid
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	140512
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Our clearance read: ewr 3 departure, radar vectors to white intersection as filed, expect FL390 10 mins after departure. As we were flying a 220 degree heading per the departure, we were cleared to fly 230 degree heading to intercept 357 degree right of col. We requested radar vectors to white intersection as per our clearance so as to avoid reprogramming our FMS at 6000' MSL in traffic when we both need to look outside for safety. The controller did respond by saying he was vectoring us to the 357 degree right of col. We reprogrammed our FMS and when it came on we were right on the radial, so we turned toward col and asked the controller if he was going to vector us to white as requested. He then read the procedure on the departure that says to expect vectors to col 350 degree right to col, then the 204 degree right to white intersection. This is a very ambiguous departure procedure if they expect us to fly radials on VOR's in RNAV equipped aircraft. The clearance should not read vectors to white intersection. It is very difficult (and unsafe) to reprogram the FMS below 10000' in heavy traffic while being issued turns by departure control as well as trying to watch for other traffic. If departure wants us to expect to fly certain radials they should make that a definite part of the departure procedure of clearance.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR ADVTECH WDB FLT CREW OBJECTS TO AMENDED DEP CLRNC.

Narrative: OUR CLRNC READ: EWR 3 DEP, RADAR VECTORS TO WHITE INTXN AS FILED, EXPECT FL390 10 MINS AFTER DEP. AS WE WERE FLYING A 220 DEG HDG PER THE DEP, WE WERE CLRED TO FLY 230 DEG HDG TO INTERCEPT 357 DEG R OF COL. WE REQUESTED RADAR VECTORS TO WHITE INTXN AS PER OUR CLRNC SO AS TO AVOID REPROGRAMMING OUR FMS AT 6000' MSL IN TFC WHEN WE BOTH NEED TO LOOK OUTSIDE FOR SAFETY. THE CTLR DID RESPOND BY SAYING HE WAS VECTORING US TO THE 357 DEG R OF COL. WE REPROGRAMMED OUR FMS AND WHEN IT CAME ON WE WERE RIGHT ON THE RADIAL, SO WE TURNED TOWARD COL AND ASKED THE CTLR IF HE WAS GOING TO VECTOR US TO WHITE AS REQUESTED. HE THEN READ THE PROC ON THE DEP THAT SAYS TO EXPECT VECTORS TO COL 350 DEG R TO COL, THEN THE 204 DEG R TO WHITE INTXN. THIS IS A VERY AMBIGUOUS DEP PROC IF THEY EXPECT US TO FLY RADIALS ON VOR'S IN RNAV EQUIPPED ACFT. THE CLRNC SHOULD NOT READ VECTORS TO WHITE INTXN. IT IS VERY DIFFICULT (AND UNSAFE) TO REPROGRAM THE FMS BELOW 10000' IN HEAVY TFC WHILE BEING ISSUED TURNS BY DEP CTL AS WELL AS TRYING TO WATCH FOR OTHER TFC. IF DEP WANTS US TO EXPECT TO FLY CERTAIN RADIALS THEY SHOULD MAKE THAT A DEFINITE PART OF THE DEP PROC OF CLRNC.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.