Narrative:

Our ATC clearance was 'runway heading, meade eight departure, peach spring transition, as filed, maintain 7000, expect higher 10 mins later, (frequency)'. This clearance was exactly what was expected for our departure on runway 7 at las vegas. The copilot made the takeoff and flew heading. I checked in with departure control and my transmission was acknowledged. The meade eight departure from runway 7 states that you fly runway heading until 7 DME from las then turn right direct to bld VOR and maintain 7000 or below until bld. Since neither the tower or departure controller told us to maintain runway heading until further advised, we started a right turn to bld at 7 DME las. However, as the turn was completed, the departure controller advised us to turn immediately back to runway heading anc called out traffic at 1 O'clock low. We acknowledged by turning back to the left and calling the traffic in sight (about 1000' or more below us and approximately 2 mi ahead). Departure instructed to keep the traffic in sight and maintain sep. A short time later we were cleared the remainder of the meade eight departure. Is seems that departure control was expecting us to fly runway heading indefinitely on our departure. However, neither the copilot or I recall being instructed to maintain runway heading until further advised, and if we were so instructed, we did not hear it and, therefore, did not acknowledge. There may be a problem in the interpretation of the clearance we received on the ground and thought we understood. Ie, just what does 'runway heading to a specific departure procedure' mean when the departure procedure starts with runway heading?

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF MLG DEPARTING LAS MEAD 8 FOLLOWED SID AND TURNED AT 7 DME. DEP CTLR WANTED RWY HEADING UNTIL ADVISED.

Narrative: OUR ATC CLRNC WAS 'RWY HDG, MEADE EIGHT DEP, PEACH SPRING TRANSITION, AS FILED, MAINTAIN 7000, EXPECT HIGHER 10 MINS LATER, (FREQ)'. THIS CLRNC WAS EXACTLY WHAT WAS EXPECTED FOR OUR DEP ON RWY 7 AT LAS VEGAS. THE COPLT MADE THE TKOF AND FLEW HDG. I CHKED IN WITH DEP CTL AND MY XMISSION WAS ACKNOWLEDGED. THE MEADE EIGHT DEP FROM RWY 7 STATES THAT YOU FLY RWY HDG UNTIL 7 DME FROM LAS THEN TURN R DIRECT TO BLD VOR AND MAINTAIN 7000 OR BELOW UNTIL BLD. SINCE NEITHER THE TWR OR DEP CTLR TOLD US TO MAINTAIN RWY HDG UNTIL FURTHER ADVISED, WE STARTED A R TURN TO BLD AT 7 DME LAS. HOWEVER, AS THE TURN WAS COMPLETED, THE DEP CTLR ADVISED US TO TURN IMMEDIATELY BACK TO RWY HDG ANC CALLED OUT TFC AT 1 O'CLOCK LOW. WE ACKNOWLEDGED BY TURNING BACK TO THE L AND CALLING THE TFC IN SIGHT (ABOUT 1000' OR MORE BELOW US AND APPROX 2 MI AHEAD). DEP INSTRUCTED TO KEEP THE TFC IN SIGHT AND MAINTAIN SEP. A SHORT TIME LATER WE WERE CLRED THE REMAINDER OF THE MEADE EIGHT DEP. IS SEEMS THAT DEP CTL WAS EXPECTING US TO FLY RWY HDG INDEFINITELY ON OUR DEP. HOWEVER, NEITHER THE COPLT OR I RECALL BEING INSTRUCTED TO MAINTAIN RWY HDG UNTIL FURTHER ADVISED, AND IF WE WERE SO INSTRUCTED, WE DID NOT HEAR IT AND, THEREFORE, DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE. THERE MAY BE A PROB IN THE INTERPRETATION OF THE CLRNC WE RECEIVED ON THE GND AND THOUGHT WE UNDERSTOOD. IE, JUST WHAT DOES 'RWY HDG TO A SPECIFIC DEP PROC' MEAN WHEN THE DEP PROC STARTS WITH RWY HDG?

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.