Narrative:

We received our pre departure clearance clearance. The clearance showed our filed route of: kslc TWF1 twf... Below that ATC had typed: SLC2 departure; maintain 10;000. Maintain 230 KTS. We reviewed the SLC2 departure; and I briefed it correctly as it being an initial heading of 160 or as assigned by ATC. We taxied out to the runway; and tower gave us 'cleared for take off'. All the other aircraft ahead of us were given turns; so once we were airborne I asked the captain to see if they also wanted us on a specific heading or just the 160 heading. The tower controller told us that we were supposed to be on the TWF1 RNAV departure; and then gave us a turn to the west. We responded that our pre departure clearance showed the SLC2 departure; and the tower told us that we were wrong. We were then handed off to departure control; who told us that he was also showing that we should have been flying the TWF1 departure. The controller asked if we wanted vectors and we said yes. There was no loss of separation due to the fact that we queried ATC immediately after take off about a heading; and they were able to give us a turn. ATC assumed that we were flying the TWF1 departure and because the slc facility does not clear aircraft to fly RNAV departures like all other facilities in saying ' airline ####; RNAV (first fix); cleared for take off' we had no way to know that they assumed we were flying the RNAV departure. If slc followed the standard; they would have clarified to us that there was an error in the pre departure clearance. Instead we were given 'cleared for take off' without an assigned heading; which on the SLC2 meant heading 160. The lack of standard phraseology is what allowed this error to go without being caught. If slc would incorporate the phraseology 'airline ####; RNAV (first fix); cleared for take off'; crews would have an additional safety barrier against this type of breakdown.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SLC Air Carrier departure was questioned by ATC regarding their clearance; i.e. PDC vs. RNAV; and given vectors to the first fix; the reporter alleging ATC's clearance phraseology was confusing and non-standard.

Narrative: We received our PDC clearance. The clearance showed our filed route of: KSLC TWF1 TWF... Below that ATC had typed: SLC2 DEPARTURE; MAINTAIN 10;000. MAINTAIN 230 KTS. We reviewed the SLC2 departure; and I briefed it correctly as it being an initial heading of 160 or as assigned by ATC. We taxied out to the runway; and Tower gave us 'cleared for take off'. All the other aircraft ahead of us were given turns; so once we were airborne I asked the Captain to see if they also wanted us on a specific heading or just the 160 heading. The Tower Controller told us that we were supposed to be on the TWF1 RNAV departure; and then gave us a turn to the west. We responded that our PDC showed the SLC2 departure; and the Tower told us that we were wrong. We were then handed off to Departure Control; who told us that he was also showing that we should have been flying the TWF1 departure. The Controller asked if we wanted vectors and we said yes. There was no loss of separation due to the fact that we queried ATC immediately after take off about a heading; and they were able to give us a turn. ATC assumed that we were flying the TWF1 departure and because the SLC facility does not clear aircraft to fly RNAV departures like all other facilities in saying ' Airline ####; RNAV (first fix); cleared for take off' we had no way to know that they assumed we were flying the RNAV departure. If SLC followed the standard; they would have clarified to us that there was an error in the PDC. Instead we were given 'cleared for take off' without an assigned heading; which on the SLC2 meant heading 160. The lack of standard phraseology is what allowed this error to go without being caught. If SLC would incorporate the phraseology 'Airline ####; RNAV (first fix); cleared for take off'; crews would have an additional safety barrier against this type of breakdown.

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.