Narrative:

Departure was off of runway 4L on the newark 7 departure. The newark 7 departure requires an immediate turn to a heading of 060 degrees to the 4 DME off of the ewr localizer, then heading of 290 degrees up to 2500 ft. Because the ewr localizer and DME transmitters are not co-located it requires a very complicated (and rarely used) procedure to set up a 'defined NAVAID' in our FMC and then select that new defined NAVAID into the FMC for 'remote tuning' so we can read the localizer DME off the RMI. This selection of a remote tuned NAVAID was not accomplished correctly and I started the turn to 290 degrees approximately 2-3 NM early. To further complicate our situation, I incorrectly selected the transponder on, altitude off position (caused by the different transponder control heads on our A300's, ie, TCASII versus non TCASII). Immediately upon contacting new york departure control they asked our altitude and heading. We responded we were in a left turn to 290 degrees and passing 2200 ft. The controller responded by giving us a climb to 4000 ft and 300 degrees heading, requesting a 'good rate to 4000 ft.' we had traffic pointed out, air carrier X B737 that was approximately 3 NM and 2000 ft above us. Standard IFR clearance criteria was not breached with that traffic. The controller never indicated that we were in a conflict with any aircraft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A300 FLT CREW EXECUTES THE SID INCORRECTLY ON DEP FROM EWR.

Narrative: DEP WAS OFF OF RWY 4L ON THE NEWARK 7 DEP. THE NEWARK 7 DEP REQUIRES AN IMMEDIATE TURN TO A HEADING OF 060 DEGS TO THE 4 DME OFF OF THE EWR LOC, THEN HEADING OF 290 DEGS UP TO 2500 FT. BECAUSE THE EWR LOC AND DME XMITTERS ARE NOT CO-LOCATED IT REQUIRES A VERY COMPLICATED (AND RARELY USED) PROC TO SET UP A 'DEFINED NAVAID' IN OUR FMC AND THEN SELECT THAT NEW DEFINED NAVAID INTO THE FMC FOR 'REMOTE TUNING' SO WE CAN READ THE LOC DME OFF THE RMI. THIS SELECTION OF A REMOTE TUNED NAVAID WAS NOT ACCOMPLISHED CORRECTLY AND I STARTED THE TURN TO 290 DEGS APPROX 2-3 NM EARLY. TO FURTHER COMPLICATE OUR SIT, I INCORRECTLY SELECTED THE XPONDER ON, ALT OFF POS (CAUSED BY THE DIFFERENT XPONDER CTL HEADS ON OUR A300'S, IE, TCASII VERSUS NON TCASII). IMMEDIATELY UPON CONTACTING NEW YORK DEP CTL THEY ASKED OUR ALT AND HEADING. WE RESPONDED WE WERE IN A L TURN TO 290 DEGS AND PASSING 2200 FT. THE CTLR RESPONDED BY GIVING US A CLB TO 4000 FT AND 300 DEGS HDG, REQUESTING A 'GOOD RATE TO 4000 FT.' WE HAD TFC POINTED OUT, ACR X B737 THAT WAS APPROX 3 NM AND 2000 FT ABOVE US. STANDARD IFR CLRNC CRITERIA WAS NOT BREACHED WITH THAT TFC. THE CTLR NEVER INDICATED THAT WE WERE IN A CONFLICT WITH ANY ACFT.

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.