Narrative:

Our clearance was originally a standard ewr departure J-95 bgm VOR from over gayed intersection, but as happens sometimes, our departure was changed while we were in the departure phase of flight. We were given direct sax direct bgm. To a pilot who is totally familiar with the nyc area this is no problem, but if you are relatively new to area, this can cause some confusion until you figure which was you are going to turn to go where they want you to go. I suggest that any change that is given while you are in the actual phase of flight, be accompanied by an initial heading and/or VOR frequency until the pilot reorients himself to the change. This could keep a pilot from making the wrong initial response and turning the wrong direction.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF MLG TURNED TO WRONG HEADING WHEN GIVEN CHANGE TO THEIR DEP CLRNC.

Narrative: OUR CLRNC WAS ORIGINALLY A STANDARD EWR DEP J-95 BGM VOR FROM OVER GAYED INTXN, BUT AS HAPPENS SOMETIMES, OUR DEP WAS CHANGED WHILE WE WERE IN THE DEP PHASE OF FLT. WE WERE GIVEN DIRECT SAX DIRECT BGM. TO A PLT WHO IS TOTALLY FAMILIAR WITH THE NYC AREA THIS IS NO PROBLEM, BUT IF YOU ARE RELATIVELY NEW TO AREA, THIS CAN CAUSE SOME CONFUSION UNTIL YOU FIGURE WHICH WAS YOU ARE GOING TO TURN TO GO WHERE THEY WANT YOU TO GO. I SUGGEST THAT ANY CHANGE THAT IS GIVEN WHILE YOU ARE IN THE ACTUAL PHASE OF FLT, BE ACCOMPANIED BY AN INITIAL HDG AND/OR VOR FREQ UNTIL THE PLT REORIENTS HIMSELF TO THE CHANGE. THIS COULD KEEP A PLT FROM MAKING THE WRONG INITIAL RESPONSE AND TURNING THE WRONG DIRECTION.

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.