Narrative:

On ground received arsa clearance to depart mry runway 10R. After takeoff clearance instructions were to turn left to 330 degrees. After reaching 400' AGL began left turn as instructed, but heard another GA aircraft being instructed by tower to continue straight out during his departure on runway 10L. As he began questioning tower controller, I began to turn back toward runway heading thinking I would cross his flight path on his climb out. Tower finally instructed me to continue to fly runway heading. (He was a little late in amending my clearance.) after continuing straight out for a minute or 2, he gave me a clearance for what was to become a very large left downwind departure. At 2500' tower came back and instructed me that I was clear for takeoff. Someone on the ground beat me to it and told tower that we were already up. I have had problems with confused controllers before at mry. Specifically on 12/sat/88 in pm I was taking off on 28R in an small aircraft with arsa clearance to turn right after departure, a controller told me to turn left instead. I was fortunately paying attention to the radio listening to the large transport air carrier taking off or runway 28L. I would have certainly crossed his flight path and created a disaster had I not corrected the tower controller with, 'you mean right turn, don't you.' he immediately said I was correct and to turn right. What bothers me is that what would a pilot with less experience do? Would he not question the controller, since he really wouldn't have the exposure to know controllers sometimes make mistakes. Another question: if a controller was in training, why wasn't a supervisor nearby to correct the situations? I have had a bad experience almost every time I have been there. I'm just wondering if others have too.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA PLT STATES MRY TWR CTLRS PUT ACFT INTO UNSAFE SITUATIONS. CITES 2 EXAMPLES OF ATC HANDLING HIS FLTS.

Narrative: ON GND RECEIVED ARSA CLRNC TO DEPART MRY RWY 10R. AFTER TKOF CLRNC INSTRUCTIONS WERE TO TURN LEFT TO 330 DEGS. AFTER REACHING 400' AGL BEGAN LEFT TURN AS INSTRUCTED, BUT HEARD ANOTHER GA ACFT BEING INSTRUCTED BY TWR TO CONTINUE STRAIGHT OUT DURING HIS DEP ON RWY 10L. AS HE BEGAN QUESTIONING TWR CTLR, I BEGAN TO TURN BACK TOWARD RWY HDG THINKING I WOULD CROSS HIS FLT PATH ON HIS CLB OUT. TWR FINALLY INSTRUCTED ME TO CONTINUE TO FLY RWY HDG. (HE WAS A LITTLE LATE IN AMENDING MY CLRNC.) AFTER CONTINUING STRAIGHT OUT FOR A MINUTE OR 2, HE GAVE ME A CLRNC FOR WHAT WAS TO BECOME A VERY LARGE LEFT DOWNWIND DEP. AT 2500' TWR CAME BACK AND INSTRUCTED ME THAT I WAS CLR FOR TKOF. SOMEONE ON THE GND BEAT ME TO IT AND TOLD TWR THAT WE WERE ALREADY UP. I HAVE HAD PROBS WITH CONFUSED CTLRS BEFORE AT MRY. SPECIFICALLY ON 12/SAT/88 IN PM I WAS TAKING OFF ON 28R IN AN SMA WITH ARSA CLRNC TO TURN RIGHT AFTER DEP, A CTLR TOLD ME TO TURN LEFT INSTEAD. I WAS FORTUNATELY PAYING ATTN TO THE RADIO LISTENING TO THE LGT ACR TAKING OFF OR RWY 28L. I WOULD HAVE CERTAINLY CROSSED HIS FLT PATH AND CREATED A DISASTER HAD I NOT CORRECTED THE TWR CTLR WITH, 'YOU MEAN RIGHT TURN, DON'T YOU.' HE IMMEDIATELY SAID I WAS CORRECT AND TO TURN RIGHT. WHAT BOTHERS ME IS THAT WHAT WOULD A PLT WITH LESS EXPERIENCE DO? WOULD HE NOT QUESTION THE CTLR, SINCE HE REALLY WOULDN'T HAVE THE EXPOSURE TO KNOW CTLRS SOMETIMES MAKE MISTAKES. ANOTHER QUESTION: IF A CTLR WAS IN TRNING, WHY WASN'T A SUPVR NEARBY TO CORRECT THE SITUATIONS? I HAVE HAD A BAD EXPERIENCE ALMOST EVERY TIME I HAVE BEEN THERE. I'M JUST WONDERING IF OTHERS HAVE TOO.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.