Narrative:

While holding on a taxiway at pae field, ground control gave us the following: 'B777 cleared to boeing field, pae 1 departure, as filed, climb to and maintain 5000 ft, center 128.5, squawk XXXX.' as we were turning into position on the runway (34L) the tower said 'cleared for takeoff, out of 3000 ft turn left to 210 degrees traffic on approach sabreliner runway 16R, 3 mi. Feeling somewhat clear on the procedure (we operate at this airport frequently) we took off. As we lifted off tower said 'ATC waives noise abatement procedure, start your turn to 210 degrees now.' we did. We were light and climbing at a high rate (approximately 3000-4000 FPM). After 20-30 seconds, I asked tower if they wanted us to contact center since he had not asked us to. He immediately responded contact ZSE 128.5 now. We did. I called immediately after another aircraft finished talking and reported leveling 5000 ft. Center asked what was last assigned altitude and I said 5000 ft. He said by whom and I said pae ground (clearance). We landed after ILS to bfi and our company tower asked me to call center supervisor. I learned this was the third incident at pae that day. The tower failed to inform center we were taking off to the north (runway 34L). We had a potential conflict with a CH47 north of pae (my TCASII did not indicate this, however). I further explained that as a general rule pae tower clears us to 3000 ft, turn left XXX, maintain 3000 ft, and I did not hear that (or the rest of the crew -- copilot and test director), so I assumed I was cleared to 5000 ft as in clearance. I recommended clrncs not be updated at the last min, after takeoff clearance, and try to incorporate in departure procedure (paine 1).

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B777 ALTDEV ON DEP.

Narrative: WHILE HOLDING ON A TXWY AT PAE FIELD, GND CTL GAVE US THE FOLLOWING: 'B777 CLRED TO BOEING FIELD, PAE 1 DEP, AS FILED, CLB TO AND MAINTAIN 5000 FT, CTR 128.5, SQUAWK XXXX.' AS WE WERE TURNING INTO POS ON THE RWY (34L) THE TWR SAID 'CLRED FOR TKOF, OUT OF 3000 FT TURN L TO 210 DEGS TFC ON APCH SABRELINER RWY 16R, 3 MI. FEELING SOMEWHAT CLR ON THE PROC (WE OPERATE AT THIS ARPT FREQUENTLY) WE TOOK OFF. AS WE LIFTED OFF TWR SAID 'ATC WAIVES NOISE ABATEMENT PROC, START YOUR TURN TO 210 DEGS NOW.' WE DID. WE WERE LIGHT AND CLBING AT A HIGH RATE (APPROX 3000-4000 FPM). AFTER 20-30 SECONDS, I ASKED TWR IF THEY WANTED US TO CONTACT CTR SINCE HE HAD NOT ASKED US TO. HE IMMEDIATELY RESPONDED CONTACT ZSE 128.5 NOW. WE DID. I CALLED IMMEDIATELY AFTER ANOTHER ACFT FINISHED TALKING AND RPTED LEVELING 5000 FT. CTR ASKED WHAT WAS LAST ASSIGNED ALT AND I SAID 5000 FT. HE SAID BY WHOM AND I SAID PAE GND (CLRNC). WE LANDED AFTER ILS TO BFI AND OUR COMPANY TWR ASKED ME TO CALL CTR SUPVR. I LEARNED THIS WAS THE THIRD INCIDENT AT PAE THAT DAY. THE TWR FAILED TO INFORM CTR WE WERE TAKING OFF TO THE N (RWY 34L). WE HAD A POTENTIAL CONFLICT WITH A CH47 N OF PAE (MY TCASII DID NOT INDICATE THIS, HOWEVER). I FURTHER EXPLAINED THAT AS A GENERAL RULE PAE TWR CLRS US TO 3000 FT, TURN L XXX, MAINTAIN 3000 FT, AND I DID NOT HEAR THAT (OR THE REST OF THE CREW -- COPLT AND TEST DIRECTOR), SO I ASSUMED I WAS CLRED TO 5000 FT AS IN CLRNC. I RECOMMENDED CLRNCS NOT BE UPDATED AT THE LAST MIN, AFTER TKOF CLRNC, AND TRY TO INCORPORATE IN DEP PROC (PAINE 1).

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.