Narrative:

I was working the departure east (drv) sector during a south confign. Mem was departing runways 18R and 18C. During the course of my 1.5 hours on position; I observed numerous aircraft depart mem on the MEM7 departure. Without exception; all aircraft that departed runway 18R; with an eastbound route; came off on the wrong frequency. This forces the departure west (dra) sector controller to divert attention away from his traffic; forces the crew members of the runway 18R departure aircraft to dial another frequency and check-in second time; and ultimately causes the drv controller to delay any control actions (climb and turn) because the aircraft is not on the appropriated frequency. This issue has been discussed many times at our weekly team briefings and with the mem training department. We are told that there is nothing wrong with the MEM7 departure; and that it is the pilot's fault for not reading and comprehending the proper frequency for the filed route of flight. The human factors associated with pilot comprehension of this departure procedure are being completely disregarded by the FAA. This departure procedure needs to be rewritten; or we need to have separate departure procedures for rtes of flight that depart into specific departure sectors. The FAA needs to quit blaming the pilot for this problem.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MEM CTLR RPTS ACFT DEPARTING RWY 18R ON MEM7 SID CONSISTENTLY USE WRONG DEP FREQ CAUSING ADDITIONAL CTLR WORKLOAD.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING THE DEP E (DRV) SECTOR DURING A S CONFIGN. MEM WAS DEPARTING RWYS 18R AND 18C. DURING THE COURSE OF MY 1.5 HRS ON POS; I OBSERVED NUMEROUS ACFT DEPART MEM ON THE MEM7 DEP. WITHOUT EXCEPTION; ALL ACFT THAT DEPARTED RWY 18R; WITH AN EBOUND RTE; CAME OFF ON THE WRONG FREQ. THIS FORCES THE DEP W (DRA) SECTOR CTLR TO DIVERT ATTN AWAY FROM HIS TFC; FORCES THE CREW MEMBERS OF THE RWY 18R DEP ACFT TO DIAL ANOTHER FREQ AND CHK-IN SECOND TIME; AND ULTIMATELY CAUSES THE DRV CTLR TO DELAY ANY CTL ACTIONS (CLB AND TURN) BECAUSE THE ACFT IS NOT ON THE APPROPRIATED FREQ. THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN DISCUSSED MANY TIMES AT OUR WEEKLY TEAM BRIEFINGS AND WITH THE MEM TRAINING DEPT. WE ARE TOLD THAT THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE MEM7 DEP; AND THAT IT IS THE PLT'S FAULT FOR NOT READING AND COMPREHENDING THE PROPER FREQ FOR THE FILED RTE OF FLT. THE HUMAN FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH PLT COMPREHENSION OF THIS DEP PROC ARE BEING COMPLETELY DISREGARDED BY THE FAA. THIS DEP PROC NEEDS TO BE REWRITTEN; OR WE NEED TO HAVE SEPARATE DEP PROCS FOR RTES OF FLT THAT DEPART INTO SPECIFIC DEP SECTORS. THE FAA NEEDS TO QUIT BLAMING THE PLT FOR THIS PROB.

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.