Narrative:

We had a flow time to lax and as we approached the departure end of runway 25R, we were cleared for takeoff and flying the idale RNAV departure. As we started our takeoff roll, the tower cleared another company (ours) flight to take off runway 25L. Our takeoff flight paths were parallel to each other. I called the tower as we were rolling to verify our takeoff clearance and he confirmed that we were cleared for takeoff and to maintain visual separation from our company aircraft. We were able to maintain visual separation. I am not questioning the legality of this departure. My opinion regarding the necessity and safety of such operations is what I am attempting to understand. On an RNAV IFR departure, we are heads down more than we would be on a standard instrument departure. When taking off and climbing out in such close proximity to another aircraft, dividing your attention between keeping a close eye on the nearby aircraft and complying with RNAV departure procedures is challenging. My concern is that under less than ideal circumstances, the safety of such operations may be less than optimum.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DURING TKOF ROLL ON LAS RWY 25R, B737 FLC QUESTION TWR ABOUT DEP PROC WITH COMPANY DEPARTING RWY 25L.

Narrative: WE HAD A FLOW TIME TO LAX AND AS WE APCHED THE DEP END OF RWY 25R, WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF AND FLYING THE IDALE RNAV DEP. AS WE STARTED OUR TKOF ROLL, THE TWR CLRED ANOTHER COMPANY (OURS) FLT TO TAKE OFF RWY 25L. OUR TKOF FLT PATHS WERE PARALLEL TO EACH OTHER. I CALLED THE TWR AS WE WERE ROLLING TO VERIFY OUR TKOF CLRNC AND HE CONFIRMED THAT WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF AND TO MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION FROM OUR COMPANY ACFT. WE WERE ABLE TO MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION. I AM NOT QUESTIONING THE LEGALITY OF THIS DEP. MY OPINION REGARDING THE NECESSITY AND SAFETY OF SUCH OPS IS WHAT I AM ATTEMPTING TO UNDERSTAND. ON AN RNAV IFR DEP, WE ARE HEADS DOWN MORE THAN WE WOULD BE ON A STANDARD INST DEP. WHEN TAKING OFF AND CLBING OUT IN SUCH CLOSE PROX TO ANOTHER ACFT, DIVIDING YOUR ATTN BTWN KEEPING A CLOSE EYE ON THE NEARBY ACFT AND COMPLYING WITH RNAV DEP PROCS IS CHALLENGING. MY CONCERN IS THAT UNDER LESS THAN IDEAL CIRCUMSTANCES, THE SAFETY OF SUCH OPS MAY BE LESS THAN OPTIMUM.

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.