Narrative:

Shortly after departing bur on assigned heading of 210 degrees, tower turned us over to departure control. This being a very critical phase of flight (flap 15 degrees takeoff), I delayed calling departure control for several seconds (first officer was flying) to arrive at a point of reduced workload. About that time departure control contacted us and west/O hesitation launched into an amended route clearance. We had originally been cleared for the vny 7, now the new clearance was hurriedly conveyed to turn right to heading 320 degrees to intercept pmd 038 degree right and continue vny 7. I read back the amended clearance and acknowledged with company call sign. Prior to roll out on new heading 320 degrees, (controller had not disputed readback) departure control advised us that we were supposed to be on heading of 210 degrees the first officer started to turn back to heading 210 degrees. I called departure control and informed him that we had distinctly heard him clear us to a heading of 320 degrees to intercept pmd 038 degree right and that any confusion in the part of either party was due to us being very busy during a critical phase of flight. No calls should be made nor any instruction be given or acknowledged during critical phase of flight! We were subsequently given vectors to intercept 038 degree right of pmd and flight resumed normally. No indication was given to us of traffic conflict or airspace violation. This is 1 more confirmation that something has got to be done to alleviate traffic congestion at what most of us consider very marginal airports for air carrier operations. ATC cannot seem to cope with intermix of high performance and light aircraft in these marginal airspace areas, nor can they be expected to. Neither can the crews of commercial carrier aircraft be totally cognizant of their surroundings (see and avoid) during critical phase of flight situations at these marginal airports during VFR (usually a very creative 1000' and 3 mi visibility in smog). Only possible solution may be to either eliminate light or high performance from bur, sna and lgb through the use of exorbitant operational fees.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG TRACK HEADING DEVIATION ON SID FROM BUR.

Narrative: SHORTLY AFTER DEPARTING BUR ON ASSIGNED HDG OF 210 DEGS, TWR TURNED US OVER TO DEP CTL. THIS BEING A VERY CRITICAL PHASE OF FLT (FLAP 15 DEGS TKOF), I DELAYED CALLING DEP CTL FOR SEVERAL SECS (F/O WAS FLYING) TO ARRIVE AT A POINT OF REDUCED WORKLOAD. ABOUT THAT TIME DEP CTL CONTACTED US AND W/O HESITATION LAUNCHED INTO AN AMENDED RTE CLRNC. WE HAD ORIGINALLY BEEN CLRED FOR THE VNY 7, NOW THE NEW CLRNC WAS HURRIEDLY CONVEYED TO TURN RIGHT TO HDG 320 DEGS TO INTERCEPT PMD 038 DEG R AND CONTINUE VNY 7. I READ BACK THE AMENDED CLRNC AND ACKNOWLEDGED WITH COMPANY CALL SIGN. PRIOR TO ROLL OUT ON NEW HDG 320 DEGS, (CTLR HAD NOT DISPUTED READBACK) DEP CTL ADVISED US THAT WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE ON HDG OF 210 DEGS THE F/O STARTED TO TURN BACK TO HDG 210 DEGS. I CALLED DEP CTL AND INFORMED HIM THAT WE HAD DISTINCTLY HEARD HIM CLR US TO A HDG OF 320 DEGS TO INTERCEPT PMD 038 DEG R AND THAT ANY CONFUSION IN THE PART OF EITHER PARTY WAS DUE TO US BEING VERY BUSY DURING A CRITICAL PHASE OF FLT. NO CALLS SHOULD BE MADE NOR ANY INSTRUCTION BE GIVEN OR ACKNOWLEDGED DURING CRITICAL PHASE OF FLT! WE WERE SUBSEQUENTLY GIVEN VECTORS TO INTERCEPT 038 DEG R OF PMD AND FLT RESUMED NORMALLY. NO INDICATION WAS GIVEN TO US OF TFC CONFLICT OR AIRSPACE VIOLATION. THIS IS 1 MORE CONFIRMATION THAT SOMETHING HAS GOT TO BE DONE TO ALLEVIATE TFC CONGESTION AT WHAT MOST OF US CONSIDER VERY MARGINAL ARPTS FOR ACR OPS. ATC CANNOT SEEM TO COPE WITH INTERMIX OF HIGH PERFORMANCE AND LIGHT ACFT IN THESE MARGINAL AIRSPACE AREAS, NOR CAN THEY BE EXPECTED TO. NEITHER CAN THE CREWS OF COMMERCIAL CARRIER ACFT BE TOTALLY COGNIZANT OF THEIR SURROUNDINGS (SEE AND AVOID) DURING CRITICAL PHASE OF FLT SITUATIONS AT THESE MARGINAL ARPTS DURING VFR (USUALLY A VERY CREATIVE 1000' AND 3 MI VISIBILITY IN SMOG). ONLY POSSIBLE SOLUTION MAY BE TO EITHER ELIMINATE LIGHT OR HIGH PERFORMANCE FROM BUR, SNA AND LGB THROUGH THE USE OF EXORBITANT OPERATIONAL FEES.

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.