Narrative:

I departed pit airport off runway 28R. Tower advised 'air carrier ZZZ cleared for takeoff, turn left 220 degrees.' my departure was right behind a B737 aircraft. We were within seconds rolling down the runway, right after the B737 rotated. As the captain, I anticipated that we would hit strong wake turbulence off the B737, so I exercised the right as a captain to turn left earlier than normal, to put the aircraft in a safe position to avoid the wake turbulence. This is also outlined in my company's fom. We continued the flight safely and followed all rules and regulations pertaining to the flight. Supplemental information from acn 629959: I was completely taken by surprise with the captain's decision to initiate an immediate left turn after takeoff. At no time during his pre takeoff briefing did the captain mention his intentions to execute this maneuver. As we were rolling down the runway, the captain did not warn me that this left turn was to be expected. En route, I mentioned to the captain my concern with his departure out of pit. I conveyed to the captain that we were cleared for the pit 6 departure and, therefore, no turns should have been initiated prior to 1700 ft MSL. There was no response from the captain.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A J41 CAPT INITIATES A TURN TO AVOID POSSIBLE WAKE TURB FROM A DEPARTING B737 WITHOUT INFORMING THE FO OUT OF PIT.

Narrative: I DEPARTED PIT ARPT OFF RWY 28R. TWR ADVISED 'ACR ZZZ CLRED FOR TKOF, TURN L 220 DEGS.' MY DEP WAS RIGHT BEHIND A B737 ACFT. WE WERE WITHIN SECONDS ROLLING DOWN THE RWY, RIGHT AFTER THE B737 ROTATED. AS THE CAPT, I ANTICIPATED THAT WE WOULD HIT STRONG WAKE TURB OFF THE B737, SO I EXERCISED THE RIGHT AS A CAPT TO TURN L EARLIER THAN NORMAL, TO PUT THE ACFT IN A SAFE POS TO AVOID THE WAKE TURB. THIS IS ALSO OUTLINED IN MY COMPANY'S FOM. WE CONTINUED THE FLT SAFELY AND FOLLOWED ALL RULES AND REGS PERTAINING TO THE FLT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 629959: I WAS COMPLETELY TAKEN BY SURPRISE WITH THE CAPT'S DECISION TO INITIATE AN IMMEDIATE L TURN AFTER TKOF. AT NO TIME DURING HIS PRE TKOF BRIEFING DID THE CAPT MENTION HIS INTENTIONS TO EXECUTE THIS MANEUVER. AS WE WERE ROLLING DOWN THE RWY, THE CAPT DID NOT WARN ME THAT THIS L TURN WAS TO BE EXPECTED. ENRTE, I MENTIONED TO THE CAPT MY CONCERN WITH HIS DEP OUT OF PIT. I CONVEYED TO THE CAPT THAT WE WERE CLRED FOR THE PIT 6 DEP AND, THEREFORE, NO TURNS SHOULD HAVE BEEN INITIATED PRIOR TO 1700 FT MSL. THERE WAS NO RESPONSE FROM THE CAPT.

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.