Narrative:

While working south departure we requested the tower to stop using RNAV dual departures due to weather obstructing the south departure lane. The tower launched aircraft X on a braves departure and then aircraft Y on a non-RNAV 250 heading inside of aircraft X. I have not reviewed the tape nor do I recall aircraft Y advising me that he was on a heading. I stopped aircraft Y off at 8;000 on initial contact (climbing out of 3;000) and got a good read back. I then went back to aircraft X and issued 'leaving 8;000 cleared direct braves.' I assumed that aircraft Y was still on the RNAV and would turn parallel to aircraft X. When I noticed aircraft Y pass ftball without turning I issued a turn to the south. Aircraft were approximately 2 miles apart and aircraft Y was level at 8;000 and aircraft X was out of 8;600. When transitioning from RNAV to vector the pilot phraseology may or not convey the fact that the aircraft is on a vector or climbing via the SID. While working departure with numerous requests for deviations and outside coordination happening rapidly it is very easy to miss when the tower transitions. I find day-in and day-out I have to question pilots as to their RNAV status.an easy fix to this problem is for local control to key the landline and advise departure an time they transition from RNAV to headings (example 'aircraft Y non-RNAV; heading 250' or 'aircraft X is the last RNAV departure.'I really can't believe we don't do this already as a matter of procedure.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A80 Departure Controller reported that two aircraft came off on different departures that were a conflict of each other. One was on a RNAV departure and the other was assigned a heading; but inside of the RNAV departure. Reporter wants some type of standardization to let the Departure Controller know if the aircraft is on a RNAV departure or a heading.

Narrative: While working S Departure we requested the tower to stop using RNAV Dual departures due to weather obstructing the South Departure lane. The Tower launched Aircraft X on a BRAVES departure and then Aircraft Y on a Non-RNAV 250 Heading inside of Aircraft X. I have not reviewed the tape nor do I recall Aircraft Y advising me that he was on a heading. I stopped Aircraft Y off at 8;000 on initial contact (climbing out of 3;000) and got a good read back. I then went back to Aircraft X and issued 'Leaving 8;000 cleared direct BRAVES.' I assumed that Aircraft Y was still on the RNAV and would turn parallel to Aircraft X. When I noticed Aircraft Y pass FTBALL without turning I issued a turn to the South. Aircraft were approximately 2 miles apart and Aircraft Y was level at 8;000 and Aircraft X was out of 8;600. When transitioning from RNAV to VECTOR the pilot phraseology may or not convey the fact that the aircraft is on a vector or climbing via the SID. While working departure with numerous requests for deviations and outside coordination happening rapidly it is very easy to miss when the tower transitions. I find day-in and day-out I have to question pilots as to their RNAV status.An easy fix to this problem is for Local Control to key the landline and advise departure an time they transition from RNAV to headings (Example 'Aircraft Y Non-RNAV; Heading 250' or 'Aircraft X is the last RNAV departure.'I really can't believe we don't do this already as a matter of procedure.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.