Narrative:

Published departure instructions are misleading -- red rock one departure takeoff runway 14R -- propeller-driven aircraft. 'A 180 degree heading for vector to intercept the las 211 degree radial. Thence...' most departures with this type intersection state '...heading to intercept the -- radial!' I was receiving and sighting traffic with departure control when I flew through the las 211 degree radial -- I was just about to query the controller when he asked me if I was intercepting. I stated that I was now in the turn, but that the departure published wording was ambiguous.he disagreed. I called las TRACON and again stated that the phraseology was misleading, that other las departure instructions were worded differently. Controller that I talked to stated that he would discuss this with supervisor but, that intention of the procedure published is to intercept the las 211 degree radial. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter agrees that the intent is to get all traffic on the 211 degree radial as there are mountains in the neighborhood. It was pointed out that ARTCC does not promise a vector to the radial, just warns pilots that one might be issued. The red rock one SID is new to las, and this wording is different from other sids that use the same radial. The reporter has heard nothing further from the FAA. The reporter is now aware of the FAA aviation safety hotline.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATX PLT FAILED TO INTERCEPT SID RADIAL.

Narrative: PUBLISHED DEP INSTRUCTIONS ARE MISLEADING -- RED ROCK ONE DEP TKOF RWY 14R -- PROP-DRIVEN ACFT. 'A 180 DEG HDG FOR VECTOR TO INTERCEPT THE LAS 211 DEG RADIAL. THENCE...' MOST DEPS WITH THIS TYPE INTXN STATE '...HDG TO INTERCEPT THE -- RADIAL!' I WAS RECEIVING AND SIGHTING TFC WITH DEP CTL WHEN I FLEW THROUGH THE LAS 211 DEG RADIAL -- I WAS JUST ABOUT TO QUERY THE CTLR WHEN HE ASKED ME IF I WAS INTERCEPTING. I STATED THAT I WAS NOW IN THE TURN, BUT THAT THE DEP PUBLISHED WORDING WAS AMBIGUOUS.HE DISAGREED. I CALLED LAS TRACON AND AGAIN STATED THAT THE PHRASEOLOGY WAS MISLEADING, THAT OTHER LAS DEP INSTRUCTIONS WERE WORDED DIFFERENTLY. CTLR THAT I TALKED TO STATED THAT HE WOULD DISCUSS THIS WITH SUPVR BUT, THAT INTENTION OF THE PROC PUBLISHED IS TO INTERCEPT THE LAS 211 DEG RADIAL. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR AGREES THAT THE INTENT IS TO GET ALL TFC ON THE 211 DEG RADIAL AS THERE ARE MOUNTAINS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. IT WAS POINTED OUT THAT ARTCC DOES NOT PROMISE A VECTOR TO THE RADIAL, JUST WARNS PLTS THAT ONE MIGHT BE ISSUED. THE RED ROCK ONE SID IS NEW TO LAS, AND THIS WORDING IS DIFFERENT FROM OTHER SIDS THAT USE THE SAME RADIAL. THE RPTR HAS HEARD NOTHING FURTHER FROM THE FAA. THE RPTR IS NOW AWARE OF THE FAA AVIATION SAFETY HOTLINE.

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.