Narrative:

Departing on runway 18R at clt the standard clearance was given as runway heading, 250 KTS till advised and climb to 8000 ft expect vectors to assigned route. Shortly after takeoff and having been switched to departure control, we were asked if we had the traffic, a twin cpr jet, that just departed the parallel runway 18L. We responded that we did not have the traffic. I (the first officer) was flying the aircraft and elected to turn slightly right since we did not have the traffic and had just received a TCASII TA on that traffic. (VFR conditions 15 mi visibility.) the controller asked what our heading was and the captain responded 190 degrees. (Runway heading is 181 degrees). The controller asked 'who gave you that heading?' captain responded, 'no one did!' the controller's tone indicated that he was not happy with that situation and shortly thereafter turned us to about a 270 degree heading, followed by an additional 290 degree or so heading to join a direct route to spartanburg, sc (gsp). We complied and were eventually switched off to the next controller. At no time did we turn into known traffic. As a fact, we turned away from known traffic (known by a TCASII alert). Safety was in my opinion enhanced and safety was not in question. Surface winds at that time were 120 degrees at 9 KTS. This may have made the 'drift' seem greater. I have no suggestions to remedy this 'situation.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HDG TRACK DEV IN A NON ADHERENCE TO AN ATC CLRNC INSTRUCTION.

Narrative: DEPARTING ON RWY 18R AT CLT THE STANDARD CLRNC WAS GIVEN AS RWY HDG, 250 KTS TILL ADVISED AND CLB TO 8000 FT EXPECT VECTORS TO ASSIGNED RTE. SHORTLY AFTER TKOF AND HAVING BEEN SWITCHED TO DEP CTL, WE WERE ASKED IF WE HAD THE TFC, A TWIN CPR JET, THAT JUST DEPARTED THE PARALLEL RWY 18L. WE RESPONDED THAT WE DID NOT HAVE THE TFC. I (THE FO) WAS FLYING THE ACFT AND ELECTED TO TURN SLIGHTLY R SINCE WE DID NOT HAVE THE TFC AND HAD JUST RECEIVED A TCASII TA ON THAT TFC. (VFR CONDITIONS 15 MI VISIBILITY.) THE CTLR ASKED WHAT OUR HDG WAS AND THE CAPT RESPONDED 190 DEGS. (RWY HDG IS 181 DEGS). THE CTLR ASKED 'WHO GAVE YOU THAT HDG?' CAPT RESPONDED, 'NO ONE DID!' THE CTLR'S TONE INDICATED THAT HE WAS NOT HAPPY WITH THAT SIT AND SHORTLY THEREAFTER TURNED US TO ABOUT A 270 DEG HDG, FOLLOWED BY AN ADDITIONAL 290 DEG OR SO HDG TO JOIN A DIRECT RTE TO SPARTANBURG, SC (GSP). WE COMPLIED AND WERE EVENTUALLY SWITCHED OFF TO THE NEXT CTLR. AT NO TIME DID WE TURN INTO KNOWN TFC. AS A FACT, WE TURNED AWAY FROM KNOWN TFC (KNOWN BY A TCASII ALERT). SAFETY WAS IN MY OPINION ENHANCED AND SAFETY WAS NOT IN QUESTION. SURFACE WINDS AT THAT TIME WERE 120 DEGS AT 9 KTS. THIS MAY HAVE MADE THE 'DRIFT' SEEM GREATER. I HAVE NO SUGGESTIONS TO REMEDY THIS 'SIT.'

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.