Narrative:

Standard separation between simultaneous departures off the parallel runways at atl is; according to the handbook 7110.65; that the flight paths must diverge by a track of at least 15 degrees immediately after takeoff. However; the RNAV departures published off runway 27R state that the turn to rojrs must start at or above 1200 ft. This allows the aircraft to climb on runway heading for an unspecified distance as long as the turn is above 1200 ft. In this instance; a B717 remained on runway heading for 3 miles. The south wind caused the aircraft to track toward or converging with a departure off of runway 26L. The local controller prompted the departure controller to take action. When the pilot was asked if he was turning towards rojrs; he said; 'we will turn now.' controllers and pilots both followed procedures correctly and the RNAV departure procedure as published caused a conflict -- which was unreported by atl management due to an organizational commitment to make the RNAV departure procedure successful.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATL LCL CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING RNAV DEP PROCS THAT REPORTEDLY RESULT IN CONFLICT IF ACFT ARE DELAYED IN EXECUTING TURNS.

Narrative: STANDARD SEPARATION BETWEEN SIMULTANEOUS DEPS OFF THE PARALLEL RWYS AT ATL IS; ACCORDING TO THE HANDBOOK 7110.65; THAT THE FLT PATHS MUST DIVERGE BY A TRACK OF AT LEAST 15 DEGS IMMEDIATELY AFTER TKOF. HOWEVER; THE RNAV DEPS PUBLISHED OFF RWY 27R STATE THAT THE TURN TO ROJRS MUST START AT OR ABOVE 1200 FT. THIS ALLOWS THE ACFT TO CLB ON RWY HDG FOR AN UNSPECIFIED DISTANCE AS LONG AS THE TURN IS ABOVE 1200 FT. IN THIS INSTANCE; A B717 REMAINED ON RWY HDG FOR 3 MILES. THE S WIND CAUSED THE ACFT TO TRACK TOWARD OR CONVERGING WITH A DEP OFF OF RWY 26L. THE LOCAL CTLR PROMPTED THE DEP CTLR TO TAKE ACTION. WHEN THE PLT WAS ASKED IF HE WAS TURNING TOWARDS ROJRS; HE SAID; 'WE WILL TURN NOW.' CTLRS AND PLTS BOTH FOLLOWED PROCS CORRECTLY AND THE RNAV DEP PROC AS PUBLISHED CAUSED A CONFLICT -- WHICH WAS UNREPORTED BY ATL MANAGEMENT DUE TO AN ORGANIZATIONAL COMMITMENT TO MAKE THE RNAV DEP PROC SUCCESSFUL.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.