Narrative:

On both of these occasions, flight of 2 F18's departed npa for restr area 2908 off runway 1. The standard jet release is runway heading at or below 3000 ft MSL. The XA15 incident we observed the F18's on an initial western heading, not runway heading. The tower controller confirmed they did assign runway heading (010 degrees). After radar identify was established, the only instruction issued was an altitude assignment of 2500 ft MSL. We observed the F18's turn due south at 2000 ft MSL (inside npa tower surface area, and through their 'propeller' departure heading). When questioned, the aircraft commander advised they were picking up the coastline to proceed wbound. They violated class C departure requirements. The XC40 incident, the F18's departed runway 1 off npa, this time on runway heading (010 degrees). The departure controller radar idented the flight and approved a VFR altitude of 2500 ft MSL and instructed them to proceed 'direct restr area 2908. (Bearing 255 degrees off npa).' again the flight turned south through the npa tower surface area and 'propeller' departure corridor, without approval. I am submitting this NASA report primarily because the military demonstration team routinely gets away with the procedural violations, in my opinion, because of who they are. My concern is based on flight safety in our complex airspace.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: P31 CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN WITH MIL DEMONSTRATION TEAM PLTS NOT CONFORMING TO LCL PROCS.

Narrative: ON BOTH OF THESE OCCASIONS, FLT OF 2 F18'S DEPARTED NPA FOR RESTR AREA 2908 OFF RWY 1. THE STANDARD JET RELEASE IS RWY HEADING AT OR BELOW 3000 FT MSL. THE XA15 INCIDENT WE OBSERVED THE F18'S ON AN INITIAL WESTERN HEADING, NOT RWY HEADING. THE TWR CTLR CONFIRMED THEY DID ASSIGN RWY HEADING (010 DEGS). AFTER RADAR IDENT WAS ESTABLISHED, THE ONLY INSTRUCTION ISSUED WAS AN ALT ASSIGNMENT OF 2500 FT MSL. WE OBSERVED THE F18'S TURN DUE S AT 2000 FT MSL (INSIDE NPA TWR SURFACE AREA, AND THROUGH THEIR 'PROP' DEP HEADING). WHEN QUESTIONED, THE ACFT COMMANDER ADVISED THEY WERE PICKING UP THE COASTLINE TO PROCEED WBOUND. THEY VIOLATED CLASS C DEP REQUIREMENTS. THE XC40 INCIDENT, THE F18'S DEPARTED RWY 1 OFF NPA, THIS TIME ON RWY HEADING (010 DEGS). THE DEP CTLR RADAR IDENTED THE FLT AND APPROVED A VFR ALT OF 2500 FT MSL AND INSTRUCTED THEM TO PROCEED 'DIRECT RESTR AREA 2908. (BEARING 255 DEGS OFF NPA).' AGAIN THE FLT TURNED S THROUGH THE NPA TWR SURFACE AREA AND 'PROP' DEP CORRIDOR, WITHOUT APPROVAL. I AM SUBMITTING THIS NASA RPT PRIMARILY BECAUSE THE MIL DEMONSTRATION TEAM ROUTINELY GETS AWAY WITH THE PROCEDURAL VIOLATIONS, IN MY OPINION, BECAUSE OF WHO THEY ARE. MY CONCERN IS BASED ON FLT SAFETY IN OUR COMPLEX AIRSPACE.

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.