Narrative:

During our preflight we obtained a pre departure clearance and were given a clearance to maintain 4000; to accomplish the CONLE3 departure; and to expect runway 33L then as filed. I asked the first officer (first officer) to make sure it was 33L because we normally depart off 28. We pushed and taxied to runway 33L having reviewed the departure procedure for that specific runway. The instructions were to climb runway heading for vectors. As we were climbing out tower told us to turn to heading 150 and contact departure. The first officer contacted departure during my turn to heading 150 degrees and the controller instructed us to climb via the SID. Since we were still on vectors I had no idea how to proceed with that instruction because there were numerous step up clearance altitude fixes along the SID. I immediately asked the first officer to ask the controller what altitude he wanted us to climb to; and he replied to climb via the SID. I told the first officer again to ask the controller at what altitude we were supposed to climb to where upon the controller told us that we needed to climb to 14000 feet and to do it now because there was a traffic conflict. I immediately clicked the autopilot off and started a climb. We had just leveled off at 4000 feet. Since we were still on vectors and had no idea how to clear each fixes at the correct altitudes. I once again asked the first officer to request the departure controller to what fix we were cleared to. He then cleared us to conle. The controller became angry and instructed us that a; climb via the SID clearance; means to go direct to the initial fix and climb as depicted on the SID. This is not how I understand how a SID should go. Since we were on vectors how am I supposed to clear certain fixes at the correct altitudes. That was the end of the issue.the thing I believe happened was how we had departed from runway 33L where upon we were on vectors and not in navigation mode flying the depicted route. I believe he assumed we were departing off runway 28 were upon when he said; climb via the SID; I would have understood the clearance and crossed each fix at the correct altitude. Because off runway 28 the autopilot is coupled to the departure procedure.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Regional jet flight crew reported departing on the CONLE3 from BWI on Runway 33L which states climb on a heading and expect vectors to OHSSS. When the flight crew checked in with departure they were cleared to climb via the SID; but had not been cleared to a fix causing confusion with the clearance.

Narrative: During our Preflight we obtained a PDC and were given a clearance to maintain 4000; to accomplish the CONLE3 departure; and to expect runway 33L then as filed. I asked the First Officer (FO) to make sure it was 33L because we normally depart off 28. We pushed and taxied to runway 33L having reviewed the Departure procedure for that specific runway. The Instructions were to climb runway heading for vectors. As we were climbing out tower told us to turn to heading 150 and contact departure. The FO contacted Departure during my turn to heading 150 degrees and the Controller instructed us to climb via the SID. Since we were still on vectors I had no idea how to proceed with that instruction because there were numerous step up clearance altitude fixes along the SID. I immediately asked the FO to ask the controller what altitude he wanted us to climb to; and he replied to climb via the SID. I told the FO again to ask the controller at what altitude we were supposed to climb to where upon the controller told us that we needed to climb to 14000 feet and to do it now because there was a traffic conflict. I immediately clicked the autopilot off and started a climb. We had just leveled off at 4000 feet. Since we were still on vectors and had no idea how to clear each fixes at the correct altitudes. I once again asked the FO to request the Departure controller to what fix we were cleared to. He then cleared us to CONLE. The controller became angry and instructed us that a; Climb via the SID clearance; means to go direct to the initial fix and climb as depicted on the SID. This is not how I understand how a SID should go. Since we were on vectors how am I supposed to clear certain fixes at the correct altitudes. That was the end of the issue.The thing I believe happened was how we had departed from runway 33L where upon we were on vectors and not in NAV mode flying the depicted route. I believe he assumed we were departing off runway 28 were upon when he said; climb via the SID; I would have understood the clearance and crossed each fix at the correct altitude. Because off runway 28 the autopilot is coupled to the Departure procedure.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.