Narrative:

I was departing vgt on the notwn 1 departure. Shortly after takeoff, las vegas departure took me off the departure and turned me toward las. I was asked if I had the las airport in sight. I responded affirmative. I was told to overfly the numbers 19, then the numbers 25 and then proceed on course to gfs VOR. (I was never asked if I could see the runway ends and numbers!) there was no advance warning that I would need the las airport diagram and the WX was too hazy to allow me to see the runway numbers clearly. I quickly obtained the diagram, and used my GPS as well as I could, but the controller was upset that I did not fly the requested pattern, and said I got into his departure area. The radios were very busy, so I didn't use air time to reply that not everyone knew the las field so well that they'd quickly know which runway end was where without reference to a diagram. If this is a customary detour from the SID (and I sense that it is as I heard others after me get the same instructions), there's nothing about it the briefing room at las or on the departure plates. Locals may know what to expect, but very infrequent visitors such as myself wouldn't. At a minimum, if this is a customary deviation, the facility issuing the clearance at vgt should ask a pilot as to his/her level of familiarity with the deviation from the SID. I told vgt clearance and ground control that I was 'unfamiliar,' and even had clearance delivery read me the entire SID to doublechk and make sure I had it right, as I knew I was in busy airspace. Also, the controller who wants to issue these vectors should either 1) ask the pilot if he/she can see he can see the runway markings, not just the airport, and if he/she can comply. A vector to and from the las VOR would be much more helpful and precise than asking pilots on an IFR flight plan to maneuver according to markings on the ground.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PA46 IFR PLT IS VECTORED OFF VGT AND AFTER SIGHTING LAS IS INSTRUCTED TO OVERFLY THE RWY 19 NUMBERS TO THE RWY 25 NUMBERS THEN TO PROCEED ON COURSE.

Narrative: I WAS DEPARTING VGT ON THE NOTWN 1 DEP. SHORTLY AFTER TKOF, LAS VEGAS DEP TOOK ME OFF THE DEP AND TURNED ME TOWARD LAS. I WAS ASKED IF I HAD THE LAS ARPT IN SIGHT. I RESPONDED AFFIRMATIVE. I WAS TOLD TO OVERFLY THE NUMBERS 19, THEN THE NUMBERS 25 AND THEN PROCEED ON COURSE TO GFS VOR. (I WAS NEVER ASKED IF I COULD SEE THE RWY ENDS AND NUMBERS!) THERE WAS NO ADVANCE WARNING THAT I WOULD NEED THE LAS ARPT DIAGRAM AND THE WX WAS TOO HAZY TO ALLOW ME TO SEE THE RWY NUMBERS CLRLY. I QUICKLY OBTAINED THE DIAGRAM, AND USED MY GPS AS WELL AS I COULD, BUT THE CTLR WAS UPSET THAT I DID NOT FLY THE REQUESTED PATTERN, AND SAID I GOT INTO HIS DEP AREA. THE RADIOS WERE VERY BUSY, SO I DIDN'T USE AIR TIME TO REPLY THAT NOT EVERYONE KNEW THE LAS FIELD SO WELL THAT THEY'D QUICKLY KNOW WHICH RWY END WAS WHERE WITHOUT REF TO A DIAGRAM. IF THIS IS A CUSTOMARY DETOUR FROM THE SID (AND I SENSE THAT IT IS AS I HEARD OTHERS AFTER ME GET THE SAME INSTRUCTIONS), THERE'S NOTHING ABOUT IT THE BRIEFING ROOM AT LAS OR ON THE DEP PLATES. LOCALS MAY KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT, BUT VERY INFREQUENT VISITORS SUCH AS MYSELF WOULDN'T. AT A MINIMUM, IF THIS IS A CUSTOMARY DEV, THE FACILITY ISSUING THE CLRNC AT VGT SHOULD ASK A PLT AS TO HIS/HER LEVEL OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE DEV FROM THE SID. I TOLD VGT CLRNC AND GND CTL THAT I WAS 'UNFAMILIAR,' AND EVEN HAD CLRNC DELIVERY READ ME THE ENTIRE SID TO DOUBLECHK AND MAKE SURE I HAD IT RIGHT, AS I KNEW I WAS IN BUSY AIRSPACE. ALSO, THE CTLR WHO WANTS TO ISSUE THESE VECTORS SHOULD EITHER 1) ASK THE PLT IF HE/SHE CAN SEE HE CAN SEE THE RWY MARKINGS, NOT JUST THE ARPT, AND IF HE/SHE CAN COMPLY. A VECTOR TO AND FROM THE LAS VOR WOULD BE MUCH MORE HELPFUL AND PRECISE THAN ASKING PLTS ON AN IFR FLT PLAN TO MANEUVER ACCORDING TO MARKINGS ON THE GND.

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.