B737 captain reflects on rno runway 34L, runway 16L opposite direction departure-arrival incident.

Attributes
ACN	574681
Time
Date	200302
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : rno.airport
State Reference	NV
Altitude	msl single value : 4500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : rno.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : rno.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual arrival star : sparks
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	574681
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : rno.tower

Narrative:

Departing rno, performance required us to departure runway 34L while runway 16L/right were the active runways. Tower cleared us to depart with a 330 degree heading as another air carrier jet was landing on the parallel runway 16L, opposite direction. The other air carrier was flying the sparks visual to runway 16L. We had the air carrier in sight the whole time during departure and there was no conflict. In retrospect, however, our separation was less than I anticipated and think the practice should be reviewed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 CAPT REFLECTS ON RNO RWY 34L, RWY 16L OPPOSITE DIRECTION DEP-ARR INCIDENT.

Narrative: DEPARTING RNO, PERFORMANCE REQUIRED US TO DEP RWY 34L WHILE RWY 16L/R WERE THE ACTIVE RWYS. TWR CLRED US TO DEPART WITH A 330 DEG HDG AS ANOTHER ACR JET WAS LNDG ON THE PARALLEL RWY 16L, OPPOSITE DIRECTION. THE OTHER ACR WAS FLYING THE SPARKS VISUAL TO RWY 16L. WE HAD THE ACR IN SIGHT THE WHOLE TIME DURING DEP AND THERE WAS NO CONFLICT. IN RETROSPECT, HOWEVER, OUR SEPARATION WAS LESS THAN I ANTICIPATED AND THINK THE PRACTICE SHOULD BE REVIEWED.

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.