Narrative:

Because of the low visibility I made the takeoff using centerline lights and compass to maintain runway heading. After gear was raised and normal climb established, I reached down to adjust the radio vol. Because I was flying a new series of that type aircraft, the controls for the radio were in a new location, causing me to look for the correct knob for what I thought would only be a second or two--but in retrospect, probably took longer, when I went back to my primary scan, I was 30-40 degrees right of the runway heading in a right turn. I immediately turned back to the left and resumed the runway heading. At about the same time departure gave us a turn to 330 degrees. I have been flying a new type medium large transport for 5 yrs. During the last 3 months we have been flying a mixed fleet with other mlgs. Because all of the controls that need to be manually adjusted (autoplt, heading and course knob, radios and radar) are in different location and operate differently, pilots spend more time than normal away from their primary flight scan. I have noticed several times during the past 3 months deviations from the intended flight path because of this, by both myself or a copilot. More standardization should be made before flying different series aircraft, even though they are the same model.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG HEADING DEVIATION DURING IMC DEPARTURE AT 400'.

Narrative: BECAUSE OF THE LOW VISIBILITY I MADE THE TKOF USING CENTERLINE LIGHTS AND COMPASS TO MAINTAIN RWY HDG. AFTER GEAR WAS RAISED AND NORMAL CLB ESTABLISHED, I REACHED DOWN TO ADJUST THE RADIO VOL. BECAUSE I WAS FLYING A NEW SERIES OF THAT TYPE ACFT, THE CONTROLS FOR THE RADIO WERE IN A NEW LOCATION, CAUSING ME TO LOOK FOR THE CORRECT KNOB FOR WHAT I THOUGHT WOULD ONLY BE A SECOND OR TWO--BUT IN RETROSPECT, PROBABLY TOOK LONGER, WHEN I WENT BACK TO MY PRIMARY SCAN, I WAS 30-40 DEGS RIGHT OF THE RWY HDG IN A RIGHT TURN. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED BACK TO THE LEFT AND RESUMED THE RWY HDG. AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME DEP GAVE US A TURN TO 330 DEGS. I HAVE BEEN FLYING A NEW TYPE MLG FOR 5 YRS. DURING THE LAST 3 MONTHS WE HAVE BEEN FLYING A MIXED FLEET WITH OTHER MLGS. BECAUSE ALL OF THE CTLS THAT NEED TO BE MANUALLY ADJUSTED (AUTOPLT, HDG AND COURSE KNOB, RADIOS AND RADAR) ARE IN DIFFERENT LOCATION AND OPERATE DIFFERENTLY, PLTS SPEND MORE TIME THAN NORMAL AWAY FROM THEIR PRIMARY FLT SCAN. I HAVE NOTICED SEVERAL TIMES DURING THE PAST 3 MONTHS DEVIATIONS FROM THE INTENDED FLT PATH BECAUSE OF THIS, BY BOTH MYSELF OR A COPLT. MORE STANDARDIZATION SHOULD BE MADE BEFORE FLYING DIFFERENT SERIES ACFT, EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE THE SAME MODEL.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.