Narrative:

I was PIC on flight and the first officer, while experienced, was new to the 757. I was not in the cockpit when he got the ATC clearance. During the preflight preparations, we reviewed the SID, route to be flown, noise abatement procedures and special engine out profile. The SID mentioned a heading of 250 degrees for the intercept of a radial off the sju VOR or a heading assigned by ATC. I asked the first officer about the initial heading and he replied 120 degrees which was the same as the noise abatement heading. I did not question the heading because of the way the SID was worded and the fact that the heading was the noise abatement heading. After takeoff, we were switched to departure control and, during the climb (about 5000 ft MSL), were asked by departure control what our heading was. When I responded, sju departure cleared us direct sju. I got the feeling from the manner in which the heading question was phrased that perhaps we were on different pages. I asked if there was a conflict or problem and was advised that there was none. While I am not sure that a problem existed, I felt I would complete this form because: 1) the wording on the stt SID opens up the possibility of a misunderstanding. 2) conflicting noise abatement information on company tailored departure page. I know that in the future all ATC clrncs unless received via ACARS will require my presence in the cockpit.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR LGT FLEW THE WRONG HDG AFTER TKOF.

Narrative: I WAS PIC ON FLT AND THE FO, WHILE EXPERIENCED, WAS NEW TO THE 757. I WAS NOT IN THE COCKPIT WHEN HE GOT THE ATC CLRNC. DURING THE PREFLT PREPARATIONS, WE REVIEWED THE SID, RTE TO BE FLOWN, NOISE ABATEMENT PROCS AND SPECIAL ENG OUT PROFILE. THE SID MENTIONED A HDG OF 250 DEGS FOR THE INTERCEPT OF A RADIAL OFF THE SJU VOR OR A HDG ASSIGNED BY ATC. I ASKED THE FO ABOUT THE INITIAL HDG AND HE REPLIED 120 DEGS WHICH WAS THE SAME AS THE NOISE ABATEMENT HDG. I DID NOT QUESTION THE HDG BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE SID WAS WORDED AND THE FACT THAT THE HDG WAS THE NOISE ABATEMENT HDG. AFTER TKOF, WE WERE SWITCHED TO DEP CTL AND, DURING THE CLB (ABOUT 5000 FT MSL), WERE ASKED BY DEP CTL WHAT OUR HDG WAS. WHEN I RESPONDED, SJU DEP CLRED US DIRECT SJU. I GOT THE FEELING FROM THE MANNER IN WHICH THE HDG QUESTION WAS PHRASED THAT PERHAPS WE WERE ON DIFFERENT PAGES. I ASKED IF THERE WAS A CONFLICT OR PROB AND WAS ADVISED THAT THERE WAS NONE. WHILE I AM NOT SURE THAT A PROB EXISTED, I FELT I WOULD COMPLETE THIS FORM BECAUSE: 1) THE WORDING ON THE STT SID OPENS UP THE POSSIBILITY OF A MISUNDERSTANDING. 2) CONFLICTING NOISE ABATEMENT INFO ON COMPANY TAILORED DEP PAGE. I KNOW THAT IN THE FUTURE ALL ATC CLRNCS UNLESS RECEIVED VIA ACARS WILL REQUIRE MY PRESENCE IN THE COCKPIT.

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.