Narrative:

Departing clt, the departure clearance was: 'hornet 2 departure, gaffe north transition, maintain 8000'.' this SID is poorly written. After departing on runway 18R you cross over clt VOR, instinct is to track outbnd on the 270 degree right, which is the gaffe north transition. If you read the left side of the SID, it states, 'turbojet all other runways: fly runway heading thence.' thence, in my opinion, is to proceed with the transition. If you read the right side of the SID, it states: 'all aircraft cleared as filed via vectors to intercept assigned radial associated with issued transition.' since departure on 18R puts you over the VOR (thus no need for a vector), it is instinctive and logical to proceed outbnd on the specified transition radial. After departing runway 18R, I turned outbnd on the 270 degree right and was told to turn back to runway heading. Takeoff clearance should have been, 'cleared for takeoff, maintain runway heading.' the word 'thence' should be eliminated from this SID.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT DEVIATED FROM SID DUE TO REPORTER'S INTERPRETATION OF THE NARRATIVE PORTIONS.

Narrative: DEPARTING CLT, THE DEP CLRNC WAS: 'HORNET 2 DEP, GAFFE N TRANSITION, MAINTAIN 8000'.' THIS SID IS POORLY WRITTEN. AFTER DEPARTING ON RWY 18R YOU CROSS OVER CLT VOR, INSTINCT IS TO TRACK OUTBND ON THE 270 DEG R, WHICH IS THE GAFFE N TRANSITION. IF YOU READ THE LEFT SIDE OF THE SID, IT STATES, 'TURBOJET ALL OTHER RWYS: FLY RWY HDG THENCE.' THENCE, IN MY OPINION, IS TO PROCEED WITH THE TRANSITION. IF YOU READ THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE SID, IT STATES: 'ALL ACFT CLRED AS FILED VIA VECTORS TO INTERCEPT ASSIGNED RADIAL ASSOCIATED WITH ISSUED TRANSITION.' SINCE DEP ON 18R PUTS YOU OVER THE VOR (THUS NO NEED FOR A VECTOR), IT IS INSTINCTIVE AND LOGICAL TO PROCEED OUTBND ON THE SPECIFIED TRANSITION RADIAL. AFTER DEPARTING RWY 18R, I TURNED OUTBND ON THE 270 DEG R AND WAS TOLD TO TURN BACK TO RWY HDG. TKOF CLRNC SHOULD HAVE BEEN, 'CLRED FOR TKOF, MAINTAIN RWY HDG.' THE WORD 'THENCE' SHOULD BE ELIMINATED FROM THIS SID.

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.