Narrative:

At the gate; we received our clearance from clearance delivery. The assigned departure procedure was the TRISS2 departure. The departure was loaded into the FMS; and I reviewed the departure procedure; checking it against the procedure in the FMS; and noting the altitude clearance. I noticed that it was an RNAV departure; but didn't realize that dallas was having pilots actually fly the RNAV departure procedures from the runway; rather than assigning a heading to join the procedure like many other airports we fly to. We taxied out to runway 17R; and were cleared for takeoff. After takeoff; I flew runway heading; not realizing that we were supposed to follow the RNAV procedure. We switched over to departure control; and at about 1200 ft; the controller asked us if we were on the TRISS2 departure. We replied that we thought that we were given runway heading. The controller told us to proceed direct to triss; which we did; and the flight proceeded normally. The event occurred because neither of us realized that dallas was actively using their RNAV departure procedures from the runway. A lot of the airports we fly to have RNAV departures; but instead of flying the procedure; they give you a heading to fly and then later vector you onto the departure. In thinking back; I realize that when the tower controller cleared us for takeoff; all they said was; cleared for takeoff.' they didn't actually give us a heading like we thought.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B717 FLT CREW FAILS TO COMPREHEND THE TRISS2 RNAV DEP DEPARTING DFW AND FLIES RWY HDG.

Narrative: AT THE GATE; WE RECEIVED OUR CLRNC FROM CLRNC DELIVERY. THE ASSIGNED DEP PROC WAS THE TRISS2 DEP. THE DEP WAS LOADED INTO THE FMS; AND I REVIEWED THE DEP PROC; CHKING IT AGAINST THE PROC IN THE FMS; AND NOTING THE ALT CLRNC. I NOTICED THAT IT WAS AN RNAV DEP; BUT DIDN'T REALIZE THAT DALLAS WAS HAVING PLTS ACTUALLY FLY THE RNAV DEP PROCS FROM THE RWY; RATHER THAN ASSIGNING A HDG TO JOIN THE PROC LIKE MANY OTHER ARPTS WE FLY TO. WE TAXIED OUT TO RWY 17R; AND WERE CLRED FOR TKOF. AFTER TKOF; I FLEW RWY HDG; NOT REALIZING THAT WE WERE SUPPOSED TO FOLLOW THE RNAV PROC. WE SWITCHED OVER TO DEP CTL; AND AT ABOUT 1200 FT; THE CTLR ASKED US IF WE WERE ON THE TRISS2 DEP. WE REPLIED THAT WE THOUGHT THAT WE WERE GIVEN RWY HDG. THE CTLR TOLD US TO PROCEED DIRECT TO TRISS; WHICH WE DID; AND THE FLT PROCEEDED NORMALLY. THE EVENT OCCURRED BECAUSE NEITHER OF US REALIZED THAT DALLAS WAS ACTIVELY USING THEIR RNAV DEP PROCS FROM THE RWY. A LOT OF THE ARPTS WE FLY TO HAVE RNAV DEPS; BUT INSTEAD OF FLYING THE PROC; THEY GIVE YOU A HDG TO FLY AND THEN LATER VECTOR YOU ONTO THE DEP. IN THINKING BACK; I REALIZE THAT WHEN THE TWR CTLR CLRED US FOR TKOF; ALL THEY SAID WAS; CLRED FOR TKOF.' THEY DIDN'T ACTUALLY GIVE US A HDG LIKE WE THOUGHT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.