Narrative:

We were cleared for and conducting the picah 5 departure on our way from runway 8R to addison, tx, eastbound. The SID has a crossing restriction eastbound for departures from runway 8R to cross the VOR at 3000 ft or below. However, this is not stated in the textual description of the SID, it is only inconspicuously placed on the SID diagram. Moreover we were told nothing about a departure crossing restriction altitude in our clearance or takeoff clearance. After takeoff, phx departure queried us as to our altitude as if there was a problem. About that time we were climbing at about 4000-5000 FPM as we had just crossed the VOR at 3000 ft. Even though we legally had remained within the charted crossing restriction, we did so inadvertently, for neither I nor the captain had noticed the restriction on the SID prior to takeoff. Phx approach still seemed concerned when they queried us a second time on our departure. We reported our altitude passing this second time when they then informed us that we had crossed over the VOR at too high of an altitude. This is simply incorrect. Not wanting to challenge their claim over the radio and cause unnecessary radio congestion, I am simply filing this NASA report. Often, in our airplane, ATC's radar cannot keep up with our mode C readout. We are constantly being asked what altitude we are passing due to the inability of the radar system to keep up with our climb rates. I would also like to add that in going back and reviewing almost all the other departures (sids) for runway 8R at phx, nearly all the other sids do indeed contain both a textual and a charted description of the crossing restrictions over pxr VOR eastbound after takeoff. I can't figure out why the NOAA charts, nos charts (the ones we use) fail to contain this textual description for the picah 5 departure. If it's a cause for concern on ATC's part, it should be in the textual description of the SID and not just placed inconspicuously where it could cause potential danger.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN ATX SMT JET ACFT WERE OBSERVED CLBING ABOVE THE SID XING ALT RESTRICTION.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED FOR AND CONDUCTING THE PICAH 5 DEP ON OUR WAY FROM RWY 8R TO ADDISON, TX, EBOUND. THE SID HAS A XING RESTRICTION EBOUND FOR DEPS FROM RWY 8R TO CROSS THE VOR AT 3000 FT OR BELOW. HOWEVER, THIS IS NOT STATED IN THE TEXTUAL DESCRIPTION OF THE SID, IT IS ONLY INCONSPICUOUSLY PLACED ON THE SID DIAGRAM. MOREOVER WE WERE TOLD NOTHING ABOUT A DEP XING RESTRICTION ALT IN OUR CLRNC OR TKOF CLRNC. AFTER TKOF, PHX DEP QUERIED US AS TO OUR ALT AS IF THERE WAS A PROB. ABOUT THAT TIME WE WERE CLBING AT ABOUT 4000-5000 FPM AS WE HAD JUST CROSSED THE VOR AT 3000 FT. EVEN THOUGH WE LEGALLY HAD REMAINED WITHIN THE CHARTED XING RESTRICTION, WE DID SO INADVERTENTLY, FOR NEITHER I NOR THE CAPT HAD NOTICED THE RESTRICTION ON THE SID PRIOR TO TKOF. PHX APCH STILL SEEMED CONCERNED WHEN THEY QUERIED US A SECOND TIME ON OUR DEP. WE RPTED OUR ALT PASSING THIS SECOND TIME WHEN THEY THEN INFORMED US THAT WE HAD CROSSED OVER THE VOR AT TOO HIGH OF AN ALT. THIS IS SIMPLY INCORRECT. NOT WANTING TO CHALLENGE THEIR CLAIM OVER THE RADIO AND CAUSE UNNECESSARY RADIO CONGESTION, I AM SIMPLY FILING THIS NASA RPT. OFTEN, IN OUR AIRPLANE, ATC'S RADAR CANNOT KEEP UP WITH OUR MODE C READOUT. WE ARE CONSTANTLY BEING ASKED WHAT ALT WE ARE PASSING DUE TO THE INABILITY OF THE RADAR SYS TO KEEP UP WITH OUR CLB RATES. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ADD THAT IN GOING BACK AND REVIEWING ALMOST ALL THE OTHER DEPS (SIDS) FOR RWY 8R AT PHX, NEARLY ALL THE OTHER SIDS DO INDEED CONTAIN BOTH A TEXTUAL AND A CHARTED DESCRIPTION OF THE XING RESTRICTIONS OVER PXR VOR EBOUND AFTER TKOF. I CAN'T FIGURE OUT WHY THE NOAA CHARTS, NOS CHARTS (THE ONES WE USE) FAIL TO CONTAIN THIS TEXTUAL DESCRIPTION FOR THE PICAH 5 DEP. IF IT'S A CAUSE FOR CONCERN ON ATC'S PART, IT SHOULD BE IN THE TEXTUAL DESCRIPTION OF THE SID AND NOT JUST PLACED INCONSPICUOUSLY WHERE IT COULD CAUSE POTENTIAL DANGER.

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.