Atl tower instructions to departing aircraft leads to confusion and possible track deviation.

Attributes
ACN	709119
Time
Date	200609
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : atl.airport
State Reference	GA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A319
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : takeoff roll
Route In Use	departure sid : n/s
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	709119
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

After receiving takeoff clearance; the tower issued this instruction: 'at the marker; fly heading 070 degrees.' nowhere on the SID was there any mention of such a possible clearance. No marker was specified; just 'the marker.' all of the information available; eg; 10-7; 10-8 pages; pre departure clearance; ATIS; and a sign at the departure end of the runway; was emphatic about flying the RNAV sids exactly. Nothing warned us of using a marker on departure. The tower did not prepare us in advance for a change to our pre departure clearance.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATL TWR INSTRUCTIONS TO DEPARTING ACFT LEADS TO CONFUSION AND POSSIBLE TRACK DEVIATION.

Narrative: AFTER RECEIVING TAKEOFF CLRNC; THE TWR ISSUED THIS INSTRUCTION: 'AT THE MARKER; FLY HDG 070 DEGS.' NOWHERE ON THE SID WAS THERE ANY MENTION OF SUCH A POSSIBLE CLRNC. NO MARKER WAS SPECIFIED; JUST 'THE MARKER.' ALL OF THE INFO AVAILABLE; EG; 10-7; 10-8 PAGES; PDC; ATIS; AND A SIGN AT THE DEP END OF THE RWY; WAS EMPHATIC ABOUT FLYING THE RNAV SIDS EXACTLY. NOTHING WARNED US OF USING A MARKER ON DEP. THE TWR DID NOT PREPARE US IN ADVANCE FOR A CHANGE TO OUR PDC.

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.