B737-700 flight crew departed tus with a climbing right turn as depicted on TUS7 departure chart. AT...

Attributes
ACN	756355
Time
Date	200710
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tus.airport intersection : 18 navaid : azo.vor
Altitude	msl single value : 3200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : tus.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-700
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Route In Use	departure sid : tus7
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	756355
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 185 flight time type : 18000
ASRS Report	756351
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Chart Or Publication ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Situations
Chart	sid : tucson

Narrative:

Tucson clearance at no time directed us to runway heading. We were cleared the tus 7 sso transition then as filed. The tus 7 departure for runway 29R is a climbing right turn to the tus VOR. We were cleared for takeoff by tower but once again there was no instruction or clearance given to fly runway heading. We complied with the tus 7 for runway 29R that states a climbing right turn to the VOR -- but I and the captain thought it was unusual with the proximity of dm AFB. But neither of us had departed to the west while going east so the assumption was; given no other guidance to the contrary; to comply as cleared. Every other time either of us had been cleared on the tus 7 we were either off of runway 11L which happens to fly straight ahead to the VOR (basically runway heading) or off runway 29R while destined to a destination to the west and contacting departure only to be cleared runway heading. The trouble was this time without guidance to the contrary we complied with the cleared SID and started the turn while contacting departure only to be questioned about our right turn instead of flying runway heading. We explained we were complying with our clearance and SID guidance and at no time been given a heading. The controller then stated when taking off in tus you will be given runway heading with vectors to course 99% of the time but there is nothing in the SID or chart to expect the runway heading clearance. We were given a heading of 060 degree approximately the heading we were on. Then lectured about tucson expectations. We apologized but thought best to point this gotcha out of tucson. Tucson terps specialist need to change the standard's to state runway heading with vectors on course if that is their expectation. Also a reference on the chart concerning departures out of tucson normally being assigned runway heading; this would at least prompt pilots to ask the question if it was not assigned.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-700 FLT CREW DEPARTED TUS WITH A CLIMBING RIGHT TURN AS DEPICTED ON TUS7 DEP CHART. ATC INFORMED FLT CREW THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE MAINTAINED RWY HDG; BUT THIS CLRNC WAS NOT SPECIFIED IN THEIR DEP CLRNC.

Narrative: TUCSON CLRNC AT NO TIME DIRECTED US TO RWY HDG. WE WERE CLRED THE TUS 7 SSO TRANSITION THEN AS FILED. THE TUS 7 DEP FOR RWY 29R IS A CLBING R TURN TO THE TUS VOR. WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF BY TWR BUT ONCE AGAIN THERE WAS NO INSTRUCTION OR CLRNC GIVEN TO FLY RWY HDG. WE COMPLIED WITH THE TUS 7 FOR RWY 29R THAT STATES A CLBING R TURN TO THE VOR -- BUT I AND THE CAPT THOUGHT IT WAS UNUSUAL WITH THE PROX OF DM AFB. BUT NEITHER OF US HAD DEPARTED TO THE W WHILE GOING E SO THE ASSUMPTION WAS; GIVEN NO OTHER GUIDANCE TO THE CONTRARY; TO COMPLY AS CLRED. EVERY OTHER TIME EITHER OF US HAD BEEN CLRED ON THE TUS 7 WE WERE EITHER OFF OF RWY 11L WHICH HAPPENS TO FLY STRAIGHT AHEAD TO THE VOR (BASICALLY RWY HDG) OR OFF RWY 29R WHILE DESTINED TO A DEST TO THE W AND CONTACTING DEP ONLY TO BE CLRED RWY HDG. THE TROUBLE WAS THIS TIME WITHOUT GUIDANCE TO THE CONTRARY WE COMPLIED WITH THE CLRED SID AND STARTED THE TURN WHILE CONTACTING DEP ONLY TO BE QUESTIONED ABOUT OUR R TURN INSTEAD OF FLYING RWY HDG. WE EXPLAINED WE WERE COMPLYING WITH OUR CLRNC AND SID GUIDANCE AND AT NO TIME BEEN GIVEN A HDG. THE CTLR THEN STATED WHEN TAKING OFF IN TUS YOU WILL BE GIVEN RWY HDG WITH VECTORS TO COURSE 99% OF THE TIME BUT THERE IS NOTHING IN THE SID OR CHART TO EXPECT THE RWY HDG CLRNC. WE WERE GIVEN A HDG OF 060 DEG APPROX THE HDG WE WERE ON. THEN LECTURED ABOUT TUCSON EXPECTATIONS. WE APOLOGIZED BUT THOUGHT BEST TO POINT THIS GOTCHA OUT OF TUCSON. TUCSON TERPS SPECIALIST NEED TO CHANGE THE STD'S TO STATE RWY HDG WITH VECTORS ON COURSE IF THAT IS THEIR EXPECTATION. ALSO A REF ON THE CHART CONCERNING DEPS OUT OF TUCSON NORMALLY BEING ASSIGNED RWY HDG; THIS WOULD AT LEAST PROMPT PLTS TO ASK THE QUESTION IF IT WAS NOT ASSIGNED.

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.

B737-700 flight crew departed tus with a climbing right turn as depicted on TUS7 departure chart. ATC informed flight crew that they should have maintained runway heading; but this clearance was not specified in their departure clearance.