Narrative:

We were cleared for takeoff to maintain runway heading and climb to 4000 ft. Our pre-departure clearance was 'runway heading for vectors, expect requested altitude 10 min after departure.' our filed route was: bwi...dca 246 degree radial/80 mi...mol...macey 1...atl. Filed altitude was FL310. Immediately after takeoff we experienced radio failure with both radios. We leveled at 4000 ft and maintained runway heading. We attempted troubleshooting and numerous radio contacts with ATC on numerous frequencys with no success. After 10 mins we maneuvered to intercept the dca 246 degree radial and began a climb to FL310 squawking 7600. Communications were reestablished at approximately 16000 ft and flight was routine thereafter. I think a problem exists when you are to receive a radar vector from a runway heading departure when the runway heading will not intercept your flight plan. Suggest a lost communication procedure be published or included whenever a 'runway heading for vectors' situation occurs.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT ON A RWY HDG DEV FOR VECTORS LOST RADIO COM WITH DEP CTL JUST AFTER TKOF. THE ACFT STAYED AT INITIAL CLRNC ALT FOR 10 MINS THEN STARTED TO CLB TO CRUISE ALT AS GIVEN WITH CLRNC. WX WAS VMC AND COM RESTORED AT 16000 FT.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF TO MAINTAIN RWY HDG AND CLB TO 4000 FT. OUR PRE-DEP CLRNC WAS 'RWY HDG FOR VECTORS, EXPECT REQUESTED ALT 10 MIN AFTER DEP.' OUR FILED RTE WAS: BWI...DCA 246 DEG RADIAL/80 MI...MOL...MACEY 1...ATL. FILED ALT WAS FL310. IMMEDIATELY AFTER TKOF WE EXPERIENCED RADIO FAILURE WITH BOTH RADIOS. WE LEVELED AT 4000 FT AND MAINTAINED RWY HDG. WE ATTEMPTED TROUBLESHOOTING AND NUMEROUS RADIO CONTACTS WITH ATC ON NUMEROUS FREQS WITH NO SUCCESS. AFTER 10 MINS WE MANEUVERED TO INTERCEPT THE DCA 246 DEG RADIAL AND BEGAN A CLB TO FL310 SQUAWKING 7600. COMS WERE REESTABLISHED AT APPROX 16000 FT AND FLT WAS ROUTINE THEREAFTER. I THINK A PROBLEM EXISTS WHEN YOU ARE TO RECEIVE A RADAR VECTOR FROM A RWY HDG DEP WHEN THE RWY HDG WILL NOT INTERCEPT YOUR FLT PLAN. SUGGEST A LOST COM PROC BE PUBLISHED OR INCLUDED WHENEVER A 'RWY HDG FOR VECTORS' SITUATION OCCURS.

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.