Narrative:

Using buckeye departure SID out of phx to lax. Srp VOR had been changed to phx VOR and the SID slightly altered. Now, instead of turning at the VOR, the turn was delayed for hnm. Right after gear up, at approximately 400-500 AGL, the TCASII TA went off. We were sequenced behind a departure off 8L, which I had in sight. I came back to the instruments and noted the VOR swing. Since I had always turned before, habit took over and I initiated a turn to the southwest. After about 20 degrees of turn, the copilot brought the error to my attention and I immediately began correcting back. I probably got 1-2 mi off course. The error was entirely mine, I had reviewed the SID before departure and noted the change. In the distraction caused by the TCASII alert, I reverted to old habits. Though we are admonished to turn on TCASII at start of takeoff, I will now delay turn on until the 1000 ft point in the initial climb. In addition, I will now turn off the TCASII out of 1000 ft AGL descending for landing. Finally, whenever there are parallel approachs and departures in progress (lax, stl, sfo, mdw, etc,) the TCASII will be off. The numerous erroneous warnings given by this system, and the resulting cockpit distraction/confusion, in my view, outweigh whatever advantage I can possibly imagine.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TRACK DEV FOR ACR MLG FLC ON SID FROM PHX.

Narrative: USING BUCKEYE DEP SID OUT OF PHX TO LAX. SRP VOR HAD BEEN CHANGED TO PHX VOR AND THE SID SLIGHTLY ALTERED. NOW, INSTEAD OF TURNING AT THE VOR, THE TURN WAS DELAYED FOR HNM. RIGHT AFTER GEAR UP, AT APPROX 400-500 AGL, THE TCASII TA WENT OFF. WE WERE SEQUENCED BEHIND A DEP OFF 8L, WHICH I HAD IN SIGHT. I CAME BACK TO THE INSTS AND NOTED THE VOR SWING. SINCE I HAD ALWAYS TURNED BEFORE, HABIT TOOK OVER AND I INITIATED A TURN TO THE SW. AFTER ABOUT 20 DEGS OF TURN, THE COPLT BROUGHT THE ERROR TO MY ATTN AND I IMMEDIATELY BEGAN CORRECTING BACK. I PROBABLY GOT 1-2 MI OFF COURSE. THE ERROR WAS ENTIRELY MINE, I HAD REVIEWED THE SID BEFORE DEP AND NOTED THE CHANGE. IN THE DISTR CAUSED BY THE TCASII ALERT, I REVERTED TO OLD HABITS. THOUGH WE ARE ADMONISHED TO TURN ON TCASII AT START OF TKOF, I WILL NOW DELAY TURN ON UNTIL THE 1000 FT POINT IN THE INITIAL CLB. IN ADDITION, I WILL NOW TURN OFF THE TCASII OUT OF 1000 FT AGL DSNDING FOR LNDG. FINALLY, WHENEVER THERE ARE PARALLEL APCHS AND DEPS IN PROGRESS (LAX, STL, SFO, MDW, ETC,) THE TCASII WILL BE OFF. THE NUMEROUS ERRONEOUS WARNINGS GIVEN BY THIS SYS, AND THE RESULTING COCKPIT DISTR/CONFUSION, IN MY VIEW, OUTWEIGH WHATEVER ADVANTAGE I CAN POSSIBLY IMAGINE.

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.