Narrative:

Departed lax with visual separation on an air carrier 727. Departure restr air carrier to 250 KTS. I outclbed him and with 2500 plus ft altitude separation and air carrier turning to the southeast, I received clearance to loop back to lax VOR as per loop departure. I was level about 5 mi northeast of lax and accelerated to cruise speed of 320 KTS. Handoff took place about 10 mi past the VOR to socal. He did not climb us. About a min later, he asked if we were still doing 250 KTS. He apparently expected us to be at 250 KTS. Commentary: at my airline, we use the phrase 'california speed limit.' this means '250 KTS until advised.' this speed limit is usually imposed by clearance delivery. Not so in this case! Sometimes it is levied by tower or departure. Again here, I don't think so. My point: if ATC routinely imposes speed restrs, put it in writing on the departure plate. My guess is some ATC person was supposed to restrict us and didn't. It is 'resume normal speed' with socal 80 percent of the time, so put the 250 KT speed limit on lax, sfo, bur, oak, sjc sids. It is quick and easy to delete it, and socal and bay approachs need it.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SPD DEV DURING LOOP DEP FROM LAX ARPT.

Narrative: DEPARTED LAX WITH VISUAL SEPARATION ON AN ACR 727. DEP RESTR ACR TO 250 KTS. I OUTCLBED HIM AND WITH 2500 PLUS FT ALT SEPARATION AND ACR TURNING TO THE SE, I RECEIVED CLRNC TO LOOP BACK TO LAX VOR AS PER LOOP DEP. I WAS LEVEL ABOUT 5 MI NE OF LAX AND ACCELERATED TO CRUISE SPD OF 320 KTS. HDOF TOOK PLACE ABOUT 10 MI PAST THE VOR TO SOCAL. HE DID NOT CLB US. ABOUT A MIN LATER, HE ASKED IF WE WERE STILL DOING 250 KTS. HE APPARENTLY EXPECTED US TO BE AT 250 KTS. COMMENTARY: AT MY AIRLINE, WE USE THE PHRASE 'CALIFORNIA SPD LIMIT.' THIS MEANS '250 KTS UNTIL ADVISED.' THIS SPD LIMIT IS USUALLY IMPOSED BY CLRNC DELIVERY. NOT SO IN THIS CASE! SOMETIMES IT IS LEVIED BY TWR OR DEP. AGAIN HERE, I DON'T THINK SO. MY POINT: IF ATC ROUTINELY IMPOSES SPD RESTRS, PUT IT IN WRITING ON THE DEP PLATE. MY GUESS IS SOME ATC PERSON WAS SUPPOSED TO RESTRICT US AND DIDN'T. IT IS 'RESUME NORMAL SPD' WITH SOCAL 80 PERCENT OF THE TIME, SO PUT THE 250 KT SPD LIMIT ON LAX, SFO, BUR, OAK, SJC SIDS. IT IS QUICK AND EASY TO DELETE IT, AND SOCAL AND BAY APCHS NEED IT.

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.