Narrative:

On takeoff runway 18R at cvg a flock of birds flew up in front of the aircraft just prior to rotation. We continued the takeoff. Tower had cleared us to turn to 205 degree heading at the 18R middle marker. As we were cleaning up the aircraft prior to middle marker, the first officer said 'we have taken one through the right engine.' I checked the instruments as we started the turn. Tower called to confirm the turn to 205 degree. We informed them of the birds on the runway as there was landing traffic. The first officer was tapping one of the engine gauges and I rechked the instruments. I rolled past 205 degree and continued to about 250 degree before satisfying myself that we had not ingested any birds in the engine. I turned back to 205 degree. Tower called at this time and asked if we had a bird strike. We replied in the negative and continued the flight. The first officer is new, about 4 months and about a yr and a half out of military fighters. Basically, he was thinking out loud when he spoke, not realizing his statement might mislead me. He later said he didn't know how we had missed the birds and that we had flown through a swarm on his side. He also said he had never had a bird strike or many encounters during his military career. We had a discussion about cockpit communication during critical phases of flight and I am satisfied he understands the importance of timely and accurate communication. Cvg tower did not comment about the turn past 205 degree, and I didn't have time to tell them what happened.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG TRACK HDG DEV ON DEP FROM CVG.

Narrative: ON TKOF RWY 18R AT CVG A FLOCK OF BIRDS FLEW UP IN FRONT OF THE ACFT JUST PRIOR TO ROTATION. WE CONTINUED THE TKOF. TWR HAD CLRED US TO TURN TO 205 DEG HDG AT THE 18R MIDDLE MARKER. AS WE WERE CLEANING UP THE ACFT PRIOR TO MIDDLE MARKER, THE FO SAID 'WE HAVE TAKEN ONE THROUGH THE R ENG.' I CHKED THE INSTS AS WE STARTED THE TURN. TWR CALLED TO CONFIRM THE TURN TO 205 DEG. WE INFORMED THEM OF THE BIRDS ON THE RWY AS THERE WAS LNDG TFC. THE FO WAS TAPPING ONE OF THE ENG GAUGES AND I RECHKED THE INSTS. I ROLLED PAST 205 DEG AND CONTINUED TO ABOUT 250 DEG BEFORE SATISFYING MYSELF THAT WE HAD NOT INGESTED ANY BIRDS IN THE ENG. I TURNED BACK TO 205 DEG. TWR CALLED AT THIS TIME AND ASKED IF WE HAD A BIRD STRIKE. WE REPLIED IN THE NEGATIVE AND CONTINUED THE FLT. THE FO IS NEW, ABOUT 4 MONTHS AND ABOUT A YR AND A HALF OUT OF MIL FIGHTERS. BASICALLY, HE WAS THINKING OUT LOUD WHEN HE SPOKE, NOT REALIZING HIS STATEMENT MIGHT MISLEAD ME. HE LATER SAID HE DIDN'T KNOW HOW WE HAD MISSED THE BIRDS AND THAT WE HAD FLOWN THROUGH A SWARM ON HIS SIDE. HE ALSO SAID HE HAD NEVER HAD A BIRD STRIKE OR MANY ENCOUNTERS DURING HIS MIL CAREER. WE HAD A DISCUSSION ABOUT COCKPIT COM DURING CRITICAL PHASES OF FLT AND I AM SATISFIED HE UNDERSTANDS THE IMPORTANCE OF TIMELY AND ACCURATE COM. CVG TWR DID NOT COMMENT ABOUT THE TURN PAST 205 DEG, AND I DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO TELL THEM WHAT HAPPENED.

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.