Narrative:

In my opinion the loupe 8 departure procedure at sjc must be reworked again. I fly a regularly scheduled airline into sjc and the loupe 5-6-7-8, etc, have always been a problem. Basically, after several xings, etc, the essential ingredient of the departure is a 120 degree vector. (Herein lies the problem.) at some point departure control (bay) will clear the aircraft to return to the VOR (usually pilot's discretion) to cross at 12000 ft. On this day at a crossing altitude of 5000 ft on the 147 degree radial sjc VOR bay departure commanded 'turn right direct to the sjc VOR' no pilot's discretion or other information was issued at the time. (There had been extensive briefing before the departure because of previous knowledge of the departure.) the statement to 'turn right direct the VOR' was taken to be an immediate action perhaps due to traffic. Well after the turn was initiated, the further statement was made, cross the VOR at 12000 ft. In this case because of the aircraft performance, 12000 ft was achieved by the VOR, but it was not comfortable. We have comments on various briefings that pilots are not complying with the loupe 8 procedures at sjc. I contend the departure has never indicated what ATC needs or wants. Also, on any given day with any given controller, the whole procedure changes.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ANOTHER COMPLAINT ABOUT THE SJC SID ALTHOUGH THE FLC HAD NO TROUBLE COMPLYING.

Narrative: IN MY OPINION THE LOUPE 8 DEP PROC AT SJC MUST BE REWORKED AGAIN. I FLY A REGULARLY SCHEDULED AIRLINE INTO SJC AND THE LOUPE 5-6-7-8, ETC, HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A PROBLEM. BASICALLY, AFTER SEVERAL XINGS, ETC, THE ESSENTIAL INGREDIENT OF THE DEP IS A 120 DEG VECTOR. (HEREIN LIES THE PROBLEM.) AT SOME POINT DEP CTL (BAY) WILL CLR THE ACFT TO RETURN TO THE VOR (USUALLY PLT'S DISCRETION) TO CROSS AT 12000 FT. ON THIS DAY AT A XING ALT OF 5000 FT ON THE 147 DEG RADIAL SJC VOR BAY DEP COMMANDED 'TURN R DIRECT TO THE SJC VOR' NO PLT'S DISCRETION OR OTHER INFO WAS ISSUED AT THE TIME. (THERE HAD BEEN EXTENSIVE BRIEFING BEFORE THE DEP BECAUSE OF PREVIOUS KNOWLEDGE OF THE DEP.) THE STATEMENT TO 'TURN R DIRECT THE VOR' WAS TAKEN TO BE AN IMMEDIATE ACTION PERHAPS DUE TO TFC. WELL AFTER THE TURN WAS INITIATED, THE FURTHER STATEMENT WAS MADE, CROSS THE VOR AT 12000 FT. IN THIS CASE BECAUSE OF THE ACFT PERFORMANCE, 12000 FT WAS ACHIEVED BY THE VOR, BUT IT WAS NOT COMFORTABLE. WE HAVE COMMENTS ON VARIOUS BRIEFINGS THAT PLTS ARE NOT COMPLYING WITH THE LOUPE 8 PROCS AT SJC. I CONTEND THE DEP HAS NEVER INDICATED WHAT ATC NEEDS OR WANTS. ALSO, ON ANY GIVEN DAY WITH ANY GIVEN CTLR, THE WHOLE PROC CHANGES.

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.