Narrative:

As a baltimore based airline crew, the captain and I had flown many departures and arrs out of the bwi airport. We were both under the impression that the automatic turn to heading 150 degrees at balance VOR DME 3 NM for runway 28 departures applied to all turbojet departures. Our initial clearance limit altitude was to 4000 ft. Upon checking in with departure control, we were given climb clearance to 17000 ft. At 3 DME on runway heading we initiated the above described turn to 150 degrees. As we were turning left through 210 degrees, we were queried by departure and given an immediate right turn back to 310 degrees and a 'stop climb' at 5000 ft. Complying with the altitude was no problem as we were just passing 4000 ft. We were advised that only the 'paleo' and 'swann' sids featured this turn and that we were expected to maintain runway heading (282 degrees) on departure. The source of departure clearance was the ACARS pre departure clearance downlink. Upon checking, we verified that it indeed said 'fly runway heading vectors assigned route/fix,' and no SID had been issued. At the time of the incident there were no other aircraft in our immediate vicinity and our TCASII issued no TA. The turn/altitude change were made. I assume, to keep us within controller's airspace. Suggestions: make up a 'baltimore 1' SID that features radar vectors to that every departing aircraft is issued a SID. Move the takeoff/departure instructions on the ACARS pre departure clearance to page 1 where it is more logical, prominent and likely to be noticed rather than on page 2 at the end of the sequence.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF MLG DEPARTING BWI MADE TURN AT 300 PER SID. FLT HAD NOT BEEN CLRED ON SID BUT HAD BEEN CLRED RWY HDG.

Narrative: AS A BALTIMORE BASED AIRLINE CREW, THE CAPT AND I HAD FLOWN MANY DEPS AND ARRS OUT OF THE BWI ARPT. WE WERE BOTH UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT THE AUTOMATIC TURN TO HDG 150 DEGS AT BAL VOR DME 3 NM FOR RWY 28 DEPS APPLIED TO ALL TURBOJET DEPS. OUR INITIAL CLRNC LIMIT ALT WAS TO 4000 FT. UPON CHKING IN WITH DEP CTL, WE WERE GIVEN CLB CLRNC TO 17000 FT. AT 3 DME ON RWY HDG WE INITIATED THE ABOVE DESCRIBED TURN TO 150 DEGS. AS WE WERE TURNING L THROUGH 210 DEGS, WE WERE QUERIED BY DEP AND GIVEN AN IMMEDIATE R TURN BACK TO 310 DEGS AND A 'STOP CLB' AT 5000 FT. COMPLYING WITH THE ALT WAS NO PROBLEM AS WE WERE JUST PASSING 4000 FT. WE WERE ADVISED THAT ONLY THE 'PALEO' AND 'SWANN' SIDS FEATURED THIS TURN AND THAT WE WERE EXPECTED TO MAINTAIN RWY HDG (282 DEGS) ON DEP. THE SOURCE OF DEP CLRNC WAS THE ACARS PDC DOWNLINK. UPON CHKING, WE VERIFIED THAT IT INDEED SAID 'FLY RWY HDG VECTORS ASSIGNED RTE/FIX,' AND NO SID HAD BEEN ISSUED. AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT THERE WERE NO OTHER ACFT IN OUR IMMEDIATE VICINITY AND OUR TCASII ISSUED NO TA. THE TURN/ALT CHANGE WERE MADE. I ASSUME, TO KEEP US WITHIN CTLR'S AIRSPACE. SUGGESTIONS: MAKE UP A 'BALTIMORE 1' SID THAT FEATURES RADAR VECTORS TO THAT EVERY DEPARTING ACFT IS ISSUED A SID. MOVE THE TKOF/DEP INSTRUCTIONS ON THE ACARS PDC TO PAGE 1 WHERE IT IS MORE LOGICAL, PROMINENT AND LIKELY TO BE NOTICED RATHER THAN ON PAGE 2 AT THE END OF THE SEQUENCE.

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.