Narrative:

The airport was westbound in triple departures. I scanned and then cleared aircraft X for take off on runway 27R with a heading of 265 at the middle marker. Read back was correct and I 'line up and wait (luaw) aircraft Y. When I was confident 3 mile separation would exist; I scanned and cleared aircraft Y for take off. I made the first attempt to switch aircraft X and received no response. While making a second attempt to switch the aircraft; the flm ran up behind me saying he was turning left. The winds were strong out of the south and this wasn't entirely uncommon as all aircraft had been crabbing left. However; aircraft X continued his turn. I notified him to fly heading 265 and he responded that he was doing so. Almost immediately after that he said they were correcting. Aircraft X was about a 1/2 mile south of the departure track so I issued a 270 heading and switched him. By this time; aircraft X was just over 3 miles off the end of the runway and aircraft Y was approaching the end. The flm was demanding I apply visual separation with aircraft Y and aircraft X. I issued the traffic to aircraft Y and then told him to maintain visual separation while switching him to departure. He did not read back the maintain visual but the was now 4 miles and increasing behind aircraft X. About a minute after switching aircraft Y; departure called up asking for aircraft X who had not switched to them. I attempted and successfully switched aircraft X at this time. Recommendation; atl should stop using RNAV departures. The dual departure tracks should be aligned with the triple departure tracks so that the system fits into pilot expectations.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATL Controller described a track deviation by a Runway 27R departure issued a 265 heading; the reporter recommending the RNAV SIDS be terminated.

Narrative: The airport was Westbound in triple departures. I scanned and then cleared Aircraft X for take off on Runway 27R with a heading of 265 at the middle marker. Read back was correct and I 'Line Up And Wait (LUAW) Aircraft Y. When I was confident 3 mile separation would exist; I scanned and cleared Aircraft Y for take off. I made the first attempt to switch Aircraft X and received no response. While making a second attempt to switch the aircraft; the FLM ran up behind me saying he was turning left. The winds were strong out of the South and this wasn't entirely uncommon as all aircraft had been crabbing left. However; Aircraft X continued his turn. I notified him to fly heading 265 and he responded that he was doing so. Almost immediately after that he said they were correcting. Aircraft X was about a 1/2 mile South of the departure track so I issued a 270 heading and switched him. By this time; Aircraft X was just over 3 miles off the end of the runway and Aircraft Y was approaching the end. The FLM was demanding I apply visual separation with Aircraft Y and Aircraft X. I issued the traffic to Aircraft Y and then told him to maintain visual separation while switching him to departure. He did not read back the maintain visual but the was now 4 miles and increasing behind Aircraft X. About a minute after switching Aircraft Y; departure called up asking for Aircraft X who had not switched to them. I attempted and successfully switched Aircraft X at this time. Recommendation; ATL should stop using RNAV departures. The dual departure tracks should be aligned with the triple departure tracks so that the system fits into pilot expectations.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.