Narrative:

After takeoff from runway 17R at dfw we were told by the tower controller to maintain visual separation from a B727 which had departed ahead of us and to contact departure. This was all said in 1 transmission and I was a little surprised that the controller did not first ask us if we had the B727 in sight as they normally do. We did have the B727 in sight, so I accepted the clearance and contacted departure. A few mins after I contacted departure control, we were given a turn to heading 080 degrees. We still had the B727 in sight at our 11 O'clock position and just assumed that he was sebound. After all, why else would departure control give us a turn east? We turned to 080 degrees as instructed by ATC, and then realized that the assigned heading would put us too close to the B727. We had to turn farther north to heading 050 degrees to avoid a possible conflict. My question is: how long after takeoff are we required to maintain visual separation and doesn't an assigned heading from the next controller indicate that now he is handling the separation? If this is not the case, should the controller not have at least said for us to 'turn when able' or something to that effect? I still feel that the departure controller made a mistake when he turned us inside the B727.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DFW ATCT LCL CTLR USES NON STANDARD VISUAL SEPARATION PROCS BTWN SUCCESSIVE DEPS CAUSING SOME CONFUSION TO THE PLTS.

Narrative: AFTER TKOF FROM RWY 17R AT DFW WE WERE TOLD BY THE TWR CTLR TO MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION FROM A B727 WHICH HAD DEPARTED AHEAD OF US AND TO CONTACT DEP. THIS WAS ALL SAID IN 1 XMISSION AND I WAS A LITTLE SURPRISED THAT THE CTLR DID NOT FIRST ASK US IF WE HAD THE B727 IN SIGHT AS THEY NORMALLY DO. WE DID HAVE THE B727 IN SIGHT, SO I ACCEPTED THE CLRNC AND CONTACTED DEP. A FEW MINS AFTER I CONTACTED DEP CTL, WE WERE GIVEN A TURN TO HDG 080 DEGS. WE STILL HAD THE B727 IN SIGHT AT OUR 11 O'CLOCK POS AND JUST ASSUMED THAT HE WAS SEBOUND. AFTER ALL, WHY ELSE WOULD DEP CTL GIVE US A TURN E? WE TURNED TO 080 DEGS AS INSTRUCTED BY ATC, AND THEN REALIZED THAT THE ASSIGNED HDG WOULD PUT US TOO CLOSE TO THE B727. WE HAD TO TURN FARTHER N TO HDG 050 DEGS TO AVOID A POSSIBLE CONFLICT. MY QUESTION IS: HOW LONG AFTER TKOF ARE WE REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION AND DOESN'T AN ASSIGNED HDG FROM THE NEXT CTLR INDICATE THAT NOW HE IS HANDLING THE SEPARATION? IF THIS IS NOT THE CASE, SHOULD THE CTLR NOT HAVE AT LEAST SAID FOR US TO 'TURN WHEN ABLE' OR SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT? I STILL FEEL THAT THE DEP CTLR MADE A MISTAKE WHEN HE TURNED US INSIDE THE B727.

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.