Narrative:

We departed runway 18 at frankfurt-main on the SULUS3S departure. We previously briefed the departure which involved flying to 12 DME from reid VOR; then a left turn to fly a 118 degree bearing to an NDB; and continue from there. We entered the procedure into the INS's; but weren't going to use the INS until established on course to the NDB since there is still some confusion among the flight crews regarding our RNAV departure capability; and our company internal NOTAMS state not to use the LTN92 for departures in fra. The captain was PF; flew the company climb profile; and turned to intercept the 118 degree bearing to the NDB at the appropriate time. I was working the radios and backing up the captain. I noticed we were a little left of course as indicated on my RMI and stated as such. The captain made a small correction to the right; but it did not appear to be enough. Shortly thereafter; radar mentioned we were left of course. I told them we were correcting. It still was not enough correction; and radar asked if we were having navigation problems since we were now approximately 2 mi north of course. I told radar we must be (from my position looking at the captain's instruments; he appeared on course) and asked for a heading. I believe radar gave us a 150 degree heading; and mentioned to the captain we might want to go direct to the NDB -- what was going through my head is in this high workload environment; we would minimize any further course deviation because we would converge with the course as long as we proceeded direct to the station. I also put direct to the station in the INS. Later on; I looked at the departure from frankfurt -- SULUS3S -- and noticed a line under the title stating 'non RNAV (en route only) use sids with designator Z' or something to that effect. Not sure what that meant; and why I missed it before; I looked for departures with Z and did not see any sulus Z departures. Did this mean we should have declined this particular SID even though RNAV was not in the title? I found out later; according to frankfurt clearance; all aircraft into and out of frankfurt are supposed to be approved to RNAV departures and different approval would be needed to fly a Z departure.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B747-200 FLT CREW HAS A TRACK HDG DEV DURING THE SULUS 3S DEP FROM EDDF.

Narrative: WE DEPARTED RWY 18 AT FRANKFURT-MAIN ON THE SULUS3S DEP. WE PREVIOUSLY BRIEFED THE DEP WHICH INVOLVED FLYING TO 12 DME FROM REID VOR; THEN A L TURN TO FLY A 118 DEG BEARING TO AN NDB; AND CONTINUE FROM THERE. WE ENTERED THE PROC INTO THE INS'S; BUT WEREN'T GOING TO USE THE INS UNTIL ESTABLISHED ON COURSE TO THE NDB SINCE THERE IS STILL SOME CONFUSION AMONG THE FLT CREWS REGARDING OUR RNAV DEP CAPABILITY; AND OUR COMPANY INTERNAL NOTAMS STATE NOT TO USE THE LTN92 FOR DEPS IN FRA. THE CAPT WAS PF; FLEW THE COMPANY CLB PROFILE; AND TURNED TO INTERCEPT THE 118 DEG BEARING TO THE NDB AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME. I WAS WORKING THE RADIOS AND BACKING UP THE CAPT. I NOTICED WE WERE A LITTLE L OF COURSE AS INDICATED ON MY RMI AND STATED AS SUCH. THE CAPT MADE A SMALL CORRECTION TO THE R; BUT IT DID NOT APPEAR TO BE ENOUGH. SHORTLY THEREAFTER; RADAR MENTIONED WE WERE L OF COURSE. I TOLD THEM WE WERE CORRECTING. IT STILL WAS NOT ENOUGH CORRECTION; AND RADAR ASKED IF WE WERE HAVING NAV PROBS SINCE WE WERE NOW APPROX 2 MI N OF COURSE. I TOLD RADAR WE MUST BE (FROM MY POS LOOKING AT THE CAPT'S INSTS; HE APPEARED ON COURSE) AND ASKED FOR A HDG. I BELIEVE RADAR GAVE US A 150 DEG HDG; AND MENTIONED TO THE CAPT WE MIGHT WANT TO GO DIRECT TO THE NDB -- WHAT WAS GOING THROUGH MY HEAD IS IN THIS HIGH WORKLOAD ENVIRONMENT; WE WOULD MINIMIZE ANY FURTHER COURSE DEV BECAUSE WE WOULD CONVERGE WITH THE COURSE AS LONG AS WE PROCEEDED DIRECT TO THE STATION. I ALSO PUT DIRECT TO THE STATION IN THE INS. LATER ON; I LOOKED AT THE DEP FROM FRANKFURT -- SULUS3S -- AND NOTICED A LINE UNDER THE TITLE STATING 'NON RNAV (ENRTE ONLY) USE SIDS WITH DESIGNATOR Z' OR SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT. NOT SURE WHAT THAT MEANT; AND WHY I MISSED IT BEFORE; I LOOKED FOR DEPS WITH Z AND DID NOT SEE ANY SULUS Z DEPS. DID THIS MEAN WE SHOULD HAVE DECLINED THIS PARTICULAR SID EVEN THOUGH RNAV WAS NOT IN THE TITLE? I FOUND OUT LATER; ACCORDING TO FRANKFURT CLRNC; ALL ACFT INTO AND OUT OF FRANKFURT ARE SUPPOSED TO BE APPROVED TO RNAV DEPS AND DIFFERENT APPROVAL WOULD BE NEEDED TO FLY A Z DEP.

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.