Narrative:

After picking up the AWOS and recording this information, I contacted hky ground control for clearance to pdk. I received taxi instructions and I was told my clearance was on request. While I was taxiing, I received a partial clearance to my destination and I was told that the rest of the clearance which included my initial heading and altitude was going to be given upon departure. Upon reaching the holding line and switching to tower frequency, the same controller which was also the ground controller came back on the frequency and told me that I was to climb to my initial altitude and maintain runway heading. I immediately looked for traffic on final and on my departure runway. I did not see anyone, but I knew the controller was communicating with a helicopter in the area which prompted me to taxi very slowly to takeoff position. As I was taxiing very slowly, the controller contacted me and asked me why I was taxiing into position. I briefly replied that I thought he wanted me to taxi and take off since he had given me my initial heading and initial altitude to climb. Since I have been given by many other controllers in many other airports the same type of clearance for takeoff (ie, baron XXXX, climb to initial altitude and maintain runway heading), I thought I was cleared to depart. As soon as he told me I was not cleared for takeoff, I exited the runway immediately. I want to state there was no immediate danger since there was no airplane coming on final and I did not execute a takeoff. My concern in this issue is the manner in which the controller gave me the clearance. His first statement that I was to receive my initial heading and altitude upon departure led me to assume that when he returned and gave me that information, I was cleared for departure. This could have been avoided by giving me only 1 clearance. Also, if all controllers would use the statement 'cleared for takeoff' each time you are cleared to depart, instead of giving you instructions to climb to a specific altitude and initial heading, this would minimize the possibility for confusion.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A BE58 BARON PLT TAXIES INTO POS AND HOLD, PLANNING FOR A TKOF, PRIOR TO GETTING A CLRNC ONTO THE RWY AT HKY, NC.

Narrative: AFTER PICKING UP THE AWOS AND RECORDING THIS INFO, I CONTACTED HKY GND CTL FOR CLRNC TO PDK. I RECEIVED TAXI INSTRUCTIONS AND I WAS TOLD MY CLRNC WAS ON REQUEST. WHILE I WAS TAXIING, I RECEIVED A PARTIAL CLRNC TO MY DEST AND I WAS TOLD THAT THE REST OF THE CLRNC WHICH INCLUDED MY INITIAL HDG AND ALT WAS GOING TO BE GIVEN UPON DEP. UPON REACHING THE HOLDING LINE AND SWITCHING TO TWR FREQ, THE SAME CTLR WHICH WAS ALSO THE GND CTLR CAME BACK ON THE FREQ AND TOLD ME THAT I WAS TO CLB TO MY INITIAL ALT AND MAINTAIN RWY HDG. I IMMEDIATELY LOOKED FOR TFC ON FINAL AND ON MY DEP RWY. I DID NOT SEE ANYONE, BUT I KNEW THE CTLR WAS COMMUNICATING WITH A HELI IN THE AREA WHICH PROMPTED ME TO TAXI VERY SLOWLY TO TKOF POS. AS I WAS TAXIING VERY SLOWLY, THE CTLR CONTACTED ME AND ASKED ME WHY I WAS TAXIING INTO POS. I BRIEFLY REPLIED THAT I THOUGHT HE WANTED ME TO TAXI AND TAKE OFF SINCE HE HAD GIVEN ME MY INITIAL HDG AND INITIAL ALT TO CLB. SINCE I HAVE BEEN GIVEN BY MANY OTHER CTLRS IN MANY OTHER ARPTS THE SAME TYPE OF CLRNC FOR TKOF (IE, BARON XXXX, CLB TO INITIAL ALT AND MAINTAIN RWY HDG), I THOUGHT I WAS CLRED TO DEPART. AS SOON AS HE TOLD ME I WAS NOT CLRED FOR TKOF, I EXITED THE RWY IMMEDIATELY. I WANT TO STATE THERE WAS NO IMMEDIATE DANGER SINCE THERE WAS NO AIRPLANE COMING ON FINAL AND I DID NOT EXECUTE A TKOF. MY CONCERN IN THIS ISSUE IS THE MANNER IN WHICH THE CTLR GAVE ME THE CLRNC. HIS FIRST STATEMENT THAT I WAS TO RECEIVE MY INITIAL HDG AND ALT UPON DEP LED ME TO ASSUME THAT WHEN HE RETURNED AND GAVE ME THAT INFO, I WAS CLRED FOR DEP. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED BY GIVING ME ONLY 1 CLRNC. ALSO, IF ALL CTLRS WOULD USE THE STATEMENT 'CLRED FOR TKOF' EACH TIME YOU ARE CLRED TO DEPART, INSTEAD OF GIVING YOU INSTRUCTIONS TO CLB TO A SPECIFIC ALT AND INITIAL HDG, THIS WOULD MINIMIZE THE POSSIBILITY FOR CONFUSION.

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.