Narrative:

Mandatory departure 'noise dispersal' headings that are being used are unsafe and have a disastrous potential. Detroit metropolitan (dtw) has parallel runways that are routinely used for simultaneous departures. Usually parallel departures are separated by just 20 degrees. When aircraft #1 is given a 005 degree heading and flies 050 degree heading instead, a bad situation can seriously happen. On several occasions I've been on the receiving end of an incorrect readback, 050 degree heading instead of 005 degree heading, 250 degree heading instead of 205 degree heading. We controllers are not perfect. We will eventually miss one of these incorrect readbacks. Never in my almost 10 yrs of ATC have I corrected as many readback errors as in the last few months since going to these headings. Even after filing an unsatisfactory condition report (ucr), local management refuses to drop 5's on departure headings. What makes matters worse is, these headings change every hour. We can't even tune our ears to listen because of these shifting headings. How much noise does 5 degrees actually disperse. Let's not do the traditional thing by waiting for someone to get hurt before changing a potentially unsafe situation. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter claims that there have been no incidents because of this procedure, but could easily happen. Reporter stated that both ends of the runways 21/3 are noise sensitive. They did a test about 1 yr ago on this and implemented it about 4 months ago. Off runway 21, the assigned headings are between 240 degrees and 180 degrees. This rotates during the day depending what time it is. He said that a number of pilots have transposed the heading, but was caught by the controller. A ucr was filed and initially, the supervisor concurred, then changed his response. The facility sent the ucr back to reporter not concurring with it.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR CLAIMS THAT A NOISE ABATEMENT DISPERSAL PROC FOR DEPARTING TFC IS UNSAFE.

Narrative: MANDATORY DEP 'NOISE DISPERSAL' HDGS THAT ARE BEING USED ARE UNSAFE AND HAVE A DISASTROUS POTENTIAL. DETROIT METRO (DTW) HAS PARALLEL RWYS THAT ARE ROUTINELY USED FOR SIMULTANEOUS DEPS. USUALLY PARALLEL DEPS ARE SEPARATED BY JUST 20 DEGS. WHEN ACFT #1 IS GIVEN A 005 DEG HDG AND FLIES 050 DEG HDG INSTEAD, A BAD SIT CAN SERIOUSLY HAPPEN. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS I'VE BEEN ON THE RECEIVING END OF AN INCORRECT READBACK, 050 DEG HDG INSTEAD OF 005 DEG HDG, 250 DEG HDG INSTEAD OF 205 DEG HDG. WE CTLRS ARE NOT PERFECT. WE WILL EVENTUALLY MISS ONE OF THESE INCORRECT READBACKS. NEVER IN MY ALMOST 10 YRS OF ATC HAVE I CORRECTED AS MANY READBACK ERRORS AS IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS SINCE GOING TO THESE HDGS. EVEN AFTER FILING AN UNSATISFACTORY CONDITION RPT (UCR), LCL MGMNT REFUSES TO DROP 5'S ON DEP HDGS. WHAT MAKES MATTERS WORSE IS, THESE HDGS CHANGE EVERY HR. WE CAN'T EVEN TUNE OUR EARS TO LISTEN BECAUSE OF THESE SHIFTING HDGS. HOW MUCH NOISE DOES 5 DEGS ACTUALLY DISPERSE. LET'S NOT DO THE TRADITIONAL THING BY WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO GET HURT BEFORE CHANGING A POTENTIALLY UNSAFE SIT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR CLAIMS THAT THERE HAVE BEEN NO INCIDENTS BECAUSE OF THIS PROC, BUT COULD EASILY HAPPEN. RPTR STATED THAT BOTH ENDS OF THE RWYS 21/3 ARE NOISE SENSITIVE. THEY DID A TEST ABOUT 1 YR AGO ON THIS AND IMPLEMENTED IT ABOUT 4 MONTHS AGO. OFF RWY 21, THE ASSIGNED HDGS ARE BTWN 240 DEGS AND 180 DEGS. THIS ROTATES DURING THE DAY DEPENDING WHAT TIME IT IS. HE SAID THAT A NUMBER OF PLTS HAVE TRANSPOSED THE HDG, BUT WAS CAUGHT BY THE CTLR. A UCR WAS FILED AND INITIALLY, THE SUPVR CONCURRED, THEN CHANGED HIS RESPONSE. THE FACILITY SENT THE UCR BACK TO RPTR NOT CONCURRING WITH IT.

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.