Narrative:

Took off runway 31L from mdw. After 1300' per mdw 4 departure SID, first officer initiated turn toward 090 degree radar vector assigned heading. Turn was slower than normal while concentration was on his level off at 3000'. Airspeed was 230 KTS, in excess of the 200 KTS below floor of TCA of ord. Controller asked our airspeed and I replied, '230 KTS.' he informed us that that was in excess of the 200 KTS below the TCA floor and that the procedure was designed around that limit to allow the turn to be completed well clear of chicago bldgs (downtown was in sight from the cockpit and well clear). It is my responsibility to see to it that far's (airspeed below TCA) and sids are complied with. To assist in this accomplishment, a few things would be helpful: 1) more thoroughly review SID and its implications prior to departure from the gate. During taxi out we were instructed to expedite crossing 31R for traffic landing on it. Then traffic told by ATC to land on 31R was unable and requested 31L. We were then cleared for immediate takeoff. We were ready and accepted, except that with more time I would probably have given a last review of the SID. 2) no TCA charts are provided to the cockpit crews. Where a TCA floor may be an unusual factor such as at mdw, at least a note on our company airport page would seem appropriate. The only note relevant to the SID is that it is designed to separate traffic from ord.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG UNAUTH PENETRATION OF AIRSPACE AND SPEED DEVIATION ON SID FROM MDW.

Narrative: TOOK OFF RWY 31L FROM MDW. AFTER 1300' PER MDW 4 DEP SID, F/O INITIATED TURN TOWARD 090 DEG RADAR VECTOR ASSIGNED HDG. TURN WAS SLOWER THAN NORMAL WHILE CONCENTRATION WAS ON HIS LEVEL OFF AT 3000'. AIRSPD WAS 230 KTS, IN EXCESS OF THE 200 KTS BELOW FLOOR OF TCA OF ORD. CTLR ASKED OUR AIRSPD AND I REPLIED, '230 KTS.' HE INFORMED US THAT THAT WAS IN EXCESS OF THE 200 KTS BELOW THE TCA FLOOR AND THAT THE PROC WAS DESIGNED AROUND THAT LIMIT TO ALLOW THE TURN TO BE COMPLETED WELL CLR OF CHICAGO BLDGS (DOWNTOWN WAS IN SIGHT FROM THE COCKPIT AND WELL CLR). IT IS MY RESPONSIBILITY TO SEE TO IT THAT FAR'S (AIRSPD BELOW TCA) AND SIDS ARE COMPLIED WITH. TO ASSIST IN THIS ACCOMPLISHMENT, A FEW THINGS WOULD BE HELPFUL: 1) MORE THOROUGHLY REVIEW SID AND ITS IMPLICATIONS PRIOR TO DEP FROM THE GATE. DURING TAXI OUT WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO EXPEDITE XING 31R FOR TFC LNDG ON IT. THEN TFC TOLD BY ATC TO LAND ON 31R WAS UNABLE AND REQUESTED 31L. WE WERE THEN CLRED FOR IMMEDIATE TKOF. WE WERE READY AND ACCEPTED, EXCEPT THAT WITH MORE TIME I WOULD PROBABLY HAVE GIVEN A LAST REVIEW OF THE SID. 2) NO TCA CHARTS ARE PROVIDED TO THE COCKPIT CREWS. WHERE A TCA FLOOR MAY BE AN UNUSUAL FACTOR SUCH AS AT MDW, AT LEAST A NOTE ON OUR COMPANY ARPT PAGE WOULD SEEM APPROPRIATE. THE ONLY NOTE RELEVANT TO THE SID IS THAT IT IS DESIGNED TO SEPARATE TFC FROM ORD.

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.