Narrative:

Obstacle departure states that departing aircraft from abe runway 24 should fly runway heading to 1600 ft prior to turning. We were cleared for takeoff on runway 24 and advised that a cessna was on approach to opposite runway 6, 6 mi out on final. Once on the runway, the tower controller advised us that the cessna was a citation. Part of the takeoff clearance included a turn to a 270 degree heading. At all times did we maintain awareness of where the citation was. According to the obstacle departure, we initiated a turn at approximately 1600 ft. The tower controller was noticably annoyed and asked us if we were aware of the heading assignment of 270 degree. He also did mention that there was separation. With the arriving citation in hindsight we could have initiated the right turn sooner since we were in VMC conditions, however at no point did the controller specify an immediate turn after takeoff. The airport facility was by no means, very busy with traffic and we thought the controller could also have requested a turn once airborne. However, as pilots we could have requested a clarification either before or after takeoff. As to when to begin our turn. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the crew had a careful briefing before departure regarding the obstacle departure procedure listed on the commercial airport plate page. Since they were southbound they felt uncomfortable in ignoring a published procedure. The captain went back to the tower frequency to explain concerns to the controller. The company chief pilot was briefed. Nothing more has been heard.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: JS-32 CREW WAS DIRECTED TO TURN IN CONTRADICTION TO THE OBSTACLE CLRNC PROC AT ABE.

Narrative: OBSTACLE DEP STATES THAT DEPARTING ACFT FROM ABE RWY 24 SHOULD FLY RWY HDG TO 1600 FT PRIOR TO TURNING. WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF ON RWY 24 AND ADVISED THAT A CESSNA WAS ON APCH TO OPPOSITE RWY 6, 6 MI OUT ON FINAL. ONCE ON THE RWY, THE TWR CTLR ADVISED US THAT THE CESSNA WAS A CITATION. PART OF THE TKOF CLRNC INCLUDED A TURN TO A 270 DEG HDG. AT ALL TIMES DID WE MAINTAIN AWARENESS OF WHERE THE CITATION WAS. ACCORDING TO THE OBSTACLE DEP, WE INITIATED A TURN AT APPROX 1600 FT. THE TWR CTLR WAS NOTICABLY ANNOYED AND ASKED US IF WE WERE AWARE OF THE HDG ASSIGNMENT OF 270 DEG. HE ALSO DID MENTION THAT THERE WAS SEPARATION. WITH THE ARRIVING CITATION IN HINDSIGHT WE COULD HAVE INITIATED THE R TURN SOONER SINCE WE WERE IN VMC CONDITIONS, HOWEVER AT NO POINT DID THE CTLR SPECIFY AN IMMEDIATE TURN AFTER TKOF. THE ARPT FAC WAS BY NO MEANS, VERY BUSY WITH TFC AND WE THOUGHT THE CTLR COULD ALSO HAVE REQUESTED A TURN ONCE AIRBORNE. HOWEVER, AS PLTS WE COULD HAVE REQUESTED A CLARIFICATION EITHER BEFORE OR AFTER TKOF. AS TO WHEN TO BEGIN OUR TURN. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE CREW HAD A CAREFUL BRIEFING BEFORE DEP REGARDING THE OBSTACLE DEP PROC LISTED ON THE COMMERCIAL ARPT PLATE PAGE. SINCE THEY WERE SOUTHBOUND THEY FELT UNCOMFORTABLE IN IGNORING A PUBLISHED PROC. THE CAPT WENT BACK TO THE TWR FREQ TO EXPLAIN CONCERNS TO THE CTLR. THE COMPANY CHIEF PLT WAS BRIEFED. NOTHING MORE HAS BEEN HEARD.

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.