Narrative:

POM6 departure from ont specifies a heading of 255 degrees in the 'initial climb' box then a routing in the 'routing' box below. On takeoff; we were given the clearance 'fly heading 255 degrees; cleared for takeoff.' after departure; we contacted socal and continued the climb. As it became clear that we were passing the SID turn; we attempted to contact socal for instructions; but the controller was very busy coordinating several small aircraft in the area; and we were unable to get a word in. Finally; she called us asking our heading; which we gave as 255 degrees; and she issues an immediate turn to 360 degrees and asked if the tower had given us a 255 degree heading; to which we said yes. Clearly; if we were mistaken; and the tower did not issue 255 degrees heading; the fault was ours. In reviewing this later; we did notice that the POM6 was a bit unusual in its guidance to the pilots and could be improved to alleviate confusion. First; most of the initial climb boxes that we looked at for other major airports we use state something like; 'flight heading XXX; expect radar vectors on course;' or other wise direct the pilot to a fix on the SID in the climb box. A good example is the BORDER5 from san for runway 9; which states in the 'initial climb' box; 'climb via a 90 degree heading to intercept and proceed via mzb R-096 to brows. Then via transition or assigned route.' verbage like this leaves no doubt as to what the pilot should take. Next; we still have a mix of old-style sids and new; some with both at one airport. Sfo has both; the QUITE2 is old; with climb and routing all in one paragraph; and the OFFSHORE5 is new; with separate initial climb and routing boxes.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A320 CREW DEPARTING FROM ONT RWY 26R ON POM6 DEP AT ONT MAINTAINED 255 DEG HDG AS DISPLAYED IN THE DEP PROC; INSTEAD OF INTERCEPTING THE POM 114 RADIAL AS DIRECTED BY ONT ATCT.

Narrative: POM6 DEP FROM ONT SPECIFIES A HDG OF 255 DEGS IN THE 'INITIAL CLB' BOX THEN A ROUTING IN THE 'ROUTING' BOX BELOW. ON TKOF; WE WERE GIVEN THE CLRNC 'FLY HDG 255 DEGS; CLRED FOR TKOF.' AFTER DEP; WE CONTACTED SOCAL AND CONTINUED THE CLB. AS IT BECAME CLR THAT WE WERE PASSING THE SID TURN; WE ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT SOCAL FOR INSTRUCTIONS; BUT THE CTLR WAS VERY BUSY COORDINATING SEVERAL SMALL ACFT IN THE AREA; AND WE WERE UNABLE TO GET A WORD IN. FINALLY; SHE CALLED US ASKING OUR HDG; WHICH WE GAVE AS 255 DEGS; AND SHE ISSUES AN IMMEDIATE TURN TO 360 DEGS AND ASKED IF THE TWR HAD GIVEN US A 255 DEG HDG; TO WHICH WE SAID YES. CLEARLY; IF WE WERE MISTAKEN; AND THE TWR DID NOT ISSUE 255 DEGS HDG; THE FAULT WAS OURS. IN REVIEWING THIS LATER; WE DID NOTICE THAT THE POM6 WAS A BIT UNUSUAL IN ITS GUIDANCE TO THE PLTS AND COULD BE IMPROVED TO ALLEVIATE CONFUSION. FIRST; MOST OF THE INITIAL CLB BOXES THAT WE LOOKED AT FOR OTHER MAJOR ARPTS WE USE STATE SOMETHING LIKE; 'FLT HDG XXX; EXPECT RADAR VECTORS ON COURSE;' OR OTHER WISE DIRECT THE PLT TO A FIX ON THE SID IN THE CLB BOX. A GOOD EXAMPLE IS THE BORDER5 FROM SAN FOR RWY 9; WHICH STATES IN THE 'INITIAL CLB' BOX; 'CLB VIA A 90 DEG HDG TO INTERCEPT AND PROCEED VIA MZB R-096 TO BROWS. THEN VIA TRANSITION OR ASSIGNED RTE.' VERBAGE LIKE THIS LEAVES NO DOUBT AS TO WHAT THE PLT SHOULD TAKE. NEXT; WE STILL HAVE A MIX OF OLD-STYLE SIDS AND NEW; SOME WITH BOTH AT ONE ARPT. SFO HAS BOTH; THE QUITE2 IS OLD; WITH CLB AND ROUTING ALL IN ONE PARAGRAPH; AND THE OFFSHORE5 IS NEW; WITH SEPARATE INITIAL CLB AND ROUTING BOXES.

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.