Aus controller expressed frustration regarding crj's departure navigation procedure.

Attributes
ACN	613969
Time
Date	200404
Day	Fri
Place
Locale Reference	airport : aus.airport
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl single value : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : aus.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Regional Jet CL65, Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other other vortac
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff climbout : initial
Route In Use	departure : on vectors departure sid : cwk
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller military : 4 controller radar : 15 controller time certified in position1 : 4 flight time total : 80
ASRS Report	613969
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Company Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

I have noticed a continuing problem with regional jets not flying vectors to join our departure procedure. Example: air carrier X departs runway 35R, '...radar contact, turn right heading 070 degrees, intercept the cwk one departure, maintain 12000 ft.' the crj initially turns to the assigned heading of 070 degrees, but then turns northbound towards the cwk VOR. This action conflicts directly with our inbound traffic on the sewzy arrival descending to 5000 ft. Pilot was questioned and said that the 'collins FMS' turned him towards cwk instead of intercepting on the ATC assigned heading. Pilot deviation? Airline training problem? Collins FMS programming error? I have personally witnessed this on 8 instances, all involving regional jets. The pilots believe that 'engaging the FMS' relieves them of the responsibility to fly an ATC assigned heading.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AUS CTLR EXPRESSED FRUSTRATION REGARDING CRJ'S DEP NAV PROC.

Narrative: I HAVE NOTICED A CONTINUING PROB WITH REGIONAL JETS NOT FLYING VECTORS TO JOIN OUR DEP PROC. EXAMPLE: ACR X DEPARTS RWY 35R, '...RADAR CONTACT, TURN R HDG 070 DEGS, INTERCEPT THE CWK ONE DEP, MAINTAIN 12000 FT.' THE CRJ INITIALLY TURNS TO THE ASSIGNED HDG OF 070 DEGS, BUT THEN TURNS NBOUND TOWARDS THE CWK VOR. THIS ACTION CONFLICTS DIRECTLY WITH OUR INBOUND TFC ON THE SEWZY ARR DSNDING TO 5000 FT. PLT WAS QUESTIONED AND SAID THAT THE 'COLLINS FMS' TURNED HIM TOWARDS CWK INSTEAD OF INTERCEPTING ON THE ATC ASSIGNED HDG. PLTDEV? AIRLINE TRAINING PROB? COLLINS FMS PROGRAMMING ERROR? I HAVE PERSONALLY WITNESSED THIS ON 8 INSTANCES, ALL INVOLVING REGIONAL JETS. THE PLTS BELIEVE THAT 'ENGAGING THE FMS' RELIEVES THEM OF THE RESPONSIBILITY TO FLY AN ATC ASSIGNED HDG.

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.