Narrative:

Location: sfo airport area. On taxi out, ground control gave us 'shoreline 1 departure.' this was a change from our already revised sfo 8 departure. We both briefed the new departure plate. Departure plate stated 'turn right 40 degree heading or assigned.' computer was set up for new departure with 040 degrees magenta being verified for turn. Tower cleared us into position and hold on runway 28L. Tower stated there was traffic to our side then gave us a straight out with clearance for takeoff runway 28L. We figured traffic was to our right and that was the reason for runway heading. We were taking an assigned heading for traffic separation was our understanding of the clearance. When we switched to departure control, copilot gave altitude 1400 ft with runway heading. Departure control came back, there was a long pause, and then we were given 050 degrees. Being constantly concerned with traffic to our right. Copilot asked for the position of our traffic. Reply was traffic no longer a factor. We continued our flight plan. At no time did the controller give us any indication that we were not following clearance or any urgency in voice. Our concern became our safety separation from the other aircraft. We felt that our clearance was giving us the safety protection and that was the reason why ATC did not allow us to follow shore 1 departure. Supplemental information from acn 469621: copilot gave our altitude (1400 ft) with runway heading. Departure control came back to confirm 282 degree heading. Copilot again confirmed 282 degree heading. There was a long pause and then we were given a 050 heading.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DEPARTING B737 RECEIVES A LAST MIN SID CHANGE AND RWY HDG VERSUS THE PUBLISHED 040 DEG HDG. BAY DEP CTLR ACTS AS IF SHE HADN'T BEEN TOLD OF THE RWY HDG BY SFO TWR.

Narrative: LOCATION: SFO ARPT AREA. ON TAXI OUT, GND CTL GAVE US 'SHORELINE 1 DEP.' THIS WAS A CHANGE FROM OUR ALREADY REVISED SFO 8 DEP. WE BOTH BRIEFED THE NEW DEP PLATE. DEP PLATE STATED 'TURN R 40 DEG HDG OR ASSIGNED.' COMPUTER WAS SET UP FOR NEW DEP WITH 040 DEGS MAGENTA BEING VERIFIED FOR TURN. TWR CLRED US INTO POS AND HOLD ON RWY 28L. TWR STATED THERE WAS TFC TO OUR SIDE THEN GAVE US A STRAIGHT OUT WITH CLRNC FOR TKOF RWY 28L. WE FIGURED TFC WAS TO OUR R AND THAT WAS THE REASON FOR RWY HDG. WE WERE TAKING AN ASSIGNED HDG FOR TFC SEPARATION WAS OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE CLRNC. WHEN WE SWITCHED TO DEP CTL, COPLT GAVE ALT 1400 FT WITH RWY HDG. DEP CTL CAME BACK, THERE WAS A LONG PAUSE, AND THEN WE WERE GIVEN 050 DEGS. BEING CONSTANTLY CONCERNED WITH TFC TO OUR R. COPLT ASKED FOR THE POS OF OUR TFC. REPLY WAS TFC NO LONGER A FACTOR. WE CONTINUED OUR FLT PLAN. AT NO TIME DID THE CTLR GIVE US ANY INDICATION THAT WE WERE NOT FOLLOWING CLRNC OR ANY URGENCY IN VOICE. OUR CONCERN BECAME OUR SAFETY SEPARATION FROM THE OTHER ACFT. WE FELT THAT OUR CLRNC WAS GIVING US THE SAFETY PROTECTION AND THAT WAS THE REASON WHY ATC DID NOT ALLOW US TO FOLLOW SHORE 1 DEP. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 469621: COPLT GAVE OUR ALT (1400 FT) WITH RWY HDG. DEP CTL CAME BACK TO CONFIRM 282 DEG HDG. COPLT AGAIN CONFIRMED 282 DEG HDG. THERE WAS A LONG PAUSE AND THEN WE WERE GIVEN A 050 HDG.

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.