Narrative:

We had launched on a clearance to anj, which we were given as 'cleared as filed.' we had filed tvc-V193-ssm with anj as destination. Upon being turned over to center, we were told 'climb and maintain 7000 ft, cleared on course.' there is much ambiguity to the 'on course' clearance. We took it as 'join your course.' since we were already north of the airport, and the VOR making up the airway was south of the airport, I would have thought the best course of action to go 'on course' would be to intercept V193 as soon as possible. I was not sure what the controller meant, so as we turned right from our assigned runway heading of 280 degrees, I called to center and reported 'and just so you know, we're turning right to intercept V193.' the controller came back with 'ah, fly heading 360 degrees for now, I'll vector you to join V193' which he did. No conflict with traffic occurred. The phrase 'on course' is almost impossible to find in any text or FAA reference. There does not seem to be any official definition. In retrospect, the best plan probably would be to fly the planned course literally, ie, fly to tvc VOR then intercept V193 (even though this takes us 5 mi opposite our intended route of flight -- especially in that we were 'cleared as filed'). The FAA should print an exact interpretation of 'cleared on course' and publish it widely. If it is published, I'd love to know where, and would help in clearing up this problem wherever I can. As a cfii, I will be sure to track this down and teach it well to all of my students.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA28 PLT INITIATES OWN DEP CLBOUT PROC WHEN ARTCC CTLR STATES 'CLB ON COURSE.' CTLR ISSUES VECTOR HDG, BUT DOES NOT SPECIFY WHY. PLT WANTS 'EXACT' MEANING OF 'CLB ON COURSE.'

Narrative: WE HAD LAUNCHED ON A CLRNC TO ANJ, WHICH WE WERE GIVEN AS 'CLRED AS FILED.' WE HAD FILED TVC-V193-SSM WITH ANJ AS DEST. UPON BEING TURNED OVER TO CTR, WE WERE TOLD 'CLB AND MAINTAIN 7000 FT, CLRED ON COURSE.' THERE IS MUCH AMBIGUITY TO THE 'ON COURSE' CLRNC. WE TOOK IT AS 'JOIN YOUR COURSE.' SINCE WE WERE ALREADY N OF THE ARPT, AND THE VOR MAKING UP THE AIRWAY WAS S OF THE ARPT, I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION TO GO 'ON COURSE' WOULD BE TO INTERCEPT V193 ASAP. I WAS NOT SURE WHAT THE CTLR MEANT, SO AS WE TURNED R FROM OUR ASSIGNED RWY HDG OF 280 DEGS, I CALLED TO CTR AND RPTED 'AND JUST SO YOU KNOW, WE'RE TURNING R TO INTERCEPT V193.' THE CTLR CAME BACK WITH 'AH, FLY HDG 360 DEGS FOR NOW, I'LL VECTOR YOU TO JOIN V193' WHICH HE DID. NO CONFLICT WITH TFC OCCURRED. THE PHRASE 'ON COURSE' IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND IN ANY TEXT OR FAA REF. THERE DOES NOT SEEM TO BE ANY OFFICIAL DEFINITION. IN RETROSPECT, THE BEST PLAN PROBABLY WOULD BE TO FLY THE PLANNED COURSE LITERALLY, IE, FLY TO TVC VOR THEN INTERCEPT V193 (EVEN THOUGH THIS TAKES US 5 MI OPPOSITE OUR INTENDED RTE OF FLT -- ESPECIALLY IN THAT WE WERE 'CLRED AS FILED'). THE FAA SHOULD PRINT AN EXACT INTERP OF 'CLRED ON COURSE' AND PUBLISH IT WIDELY. IF IT IS PUBLISHED, I'D LOVE TO KNOW WHERE, AND WOULD HELP IN CLRING UP THIS PROB WHEREVER I CAN. AS A CFII, I WILL BE SURE TO TRACK THIS DOWN AND TEACH IT WELL TO ALL OF MY STUDENTS.

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.