Narrative:

Rdu company airport page shows an obstacle departure procedure for runways 23L/right calling for 'climb runway heading to 3000 ft before turning left.' we briefed the procedure, and were assigned runway 23L for takeoff. Our departure was the tarheel 6, which requires a left turnout to intercept rdu 176 degree radial. Passing approximately 1500 ft after takeoff, tower assigned us a heading requiring a left turn (I believe the heading was 120 degrees). We accepted the heading, but told them that we would wait until 3000 ft to make the turn. Tower asked why we were going to wait, and we told them of the obstacle departure procedure. They said that they had been told of the procedure in the past, in similar circumstances, but that if tower tells you to make the turn, it's ok to disregard the obstacle departure procedure. We told them that we didn't think it was ok to disregard a published procedure. They told us to do what they tell us to do, etc. The exchange of pleasantries lasted until about 2900 ft and we made the turn to the assigned heading passing 3000 ft. Tower did not seem too upset, and didn't indicate that they were going to file a complaint. I am confused as to whether we are supposed to follow a published procedure unless you're responding to an emergency situation, or if it's ok to do what a controller tells you -- even if it violates a published procedure.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR COMPANY OBSTACLE DEP PROC IN CONFLICT WITH RDU VECTORING CRITERIA CAUSES FREQ DISCUSSION.

Narrative: RDU COMPANY ARPT PAGE SHOWS AN OBSTACLE DEP PROC FOR RWYS 23L/R CALLING FOR 'CLB RWY HDG TO 3000 FT BEFORE TURNING L.' WE BRIEFED THE PROC, AND WERE ASSIGNED RWY 23L FOR TKOF. OUR DEP WAS THE TARHEEL 6, WHICH REQUIRES A L TURNOUT TO INTERCEPT RDU 176 DEG RADIAL. PASSING APPROX 1500 FT AFTER TKOF, TWR ASSIGNED US A HDG REQUIRING A L TURN (I BELIEVE THE HDG WAS 120 DEGS). WE ACCEPTED THE HDG, BUT TOLD THEM THAT WE WOULD WAIT UNTIL 3000 FT TO MAKE THE TURN. TWR ASKED WHY WE WERE GOING TO WAIT, AND WE TOLD THEM OF THE OBSTACLE DEP PROC. THEY SAID THAT THEY HAD BEEN TOLD OF THE PROC IN THE PAST, IN SIMILAR CIRCUMSTANCES, BUT THAT IF TWR TELLS YOU TO MAKE THE TURN, IT'S OK TO DISREGARD THE OBSTACLE DEP PROC. WE TOLD THEM THAT WE DIDN'T THINK IT WAS OK TO DISREGARD A PUBLISHED PROC. THEY TOLD US TO DO WHAT THEY TELL US TO DO, ETC. THE EXCHANGE OF PLEASANTRIES LASTED UNTIL ABOUT 2900 FT AND WE MADE THE TURN TO THE ASSIGNED HDG PASSING 3000 FT. TWR DID NOT SEEM TOO UPSET, AND DIDN'T INDICATE THAT THEY WERE GOING TO FILE A COMPLAINT. I AM CONFUSED AS TO WHETHER WE ARE SUPPOSED TO FOLLOW A PUBLISHED PROC UNLESS YOU'RE RESPONDING TO AN EMER SIT, OR IF IT'S OK TO DO WHAT A CTLR TELLS YOU -- EVEN IF IT VIOLATES A PUBLISHED PROC.

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.