Narrative:

It was my leg to fly from clt to ord. We were on the new hornet one departure out of clt on the stann right which is the 347 degree right off clt. The departure stated to proceed to the 50 NM point on the right off clt for vectors to the appropriate fix, which in our case was hmv. At the 51 NM point, the controller cleared us to hmv so we turned to go direct and then on the third controller out of clt (atl) asked what our heading was. We responded with approximately 295 degree. He asked what was the heading for? We said for direct hmv. He asked who gave us direct hmv. We responded by saying, 'the controller out of clt.' nothing was said anymore about the clearance. I don't know who is at fault, us for maybe answering the wrong flight number (but we were at the 51 NM point off clt when the communication was made). Or atl for not xferring the information along to the next controller, what is not clear. If we were off course why didn't the second controller in this case say something. The 50 NM point on the hornet one departure out of clt should not be on the departure at all. The reason I say this is because sometimes they clear you before 50 NM and then sometimes it's past 50 NM. (So why have it). It only adds to confusion on the departure.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF ACR DEPARTING CLT ON THE HORNET DEP IS QUESTIONED BY ZTL CTLR REGARDING THEIR CLRNC TO GO DIRECT TO HMV AFTER PASSING THE CLT 50 DME.

Narrative: IT WAS MY LEG TO FLY FROM CLT TO ORD. WE WERE ON THE NEW HORNET ONE DEP OUT OF CLT ON THE STANN R WHICH IS THE 347 DEG R OFF CLT. THE DEP STATED TO PROCEED TO THE 50 NM POINT ON THE R OFF CLT FOR VECTORS TO THE APPROPRIATE FIX, WHICH IN OUR CASE WAS HMV. AT THE 51 NM POINT, THE CTLR CLRED US TO HMV SO WE TURNED TO GO DIRECT AND THEN ON THE THIRD CTLR OUT OF CLT (ATL) ASKED WHAT OUR HDG WAS. WE RESPONDED WITH APPROX 295 DEG. HE ASKED WHAT WAS THE HDG FOR? WE SAID FOR DIRECT HMV. HE ASKED WHO GAVE US DIRECT HMV. WE RESPONDED BY SAYING, 'THE CTLR OUT OF CLT.' NOTHING WAS SAID ANYMORE ABOUT THE CLRNC. I DON'T KNOW WHO IS AT FAULT, US FOR MAYBE ANSWERING THE WRONG FLT NUMBER (BUT WE WERE AT THE 51 NM POINT OFF CLT WHEN THE COM WAS MADE). OR ATL FOR NOT XFERRING THE INFO ALONG TO THE NEXT CTLR, WHAT IS NOT CLR. IF WE WERE OFF COURSE WHY DIDN'T THE SECOND CTLR IN THIS CASE SAY SOMETHING. THE 50 NM POINT ON THE HORNET ONE DEP OUT OF CLT SHOULD NOT BE ON THE DEP AT ALL. THE REASON I SAY THIS IS BECAUSE SOMETIMES THEY CLR YOU BEFORE 50 NM AND THEN SOMETIMES IT'S PAST 50 NM. (SO WHY HAVE IT). IT ONLY ADDS TO CONFUSION ON THE DEP.

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.