Narrative:

For the past month las clearance delivery has been issuing non standard/published sids. These clrncs include '3 DME a right turn and 17000 ft.' captain then tries to connect this to a published SID. There is great confusion from my first officer's who record the clrncs what is meant. I have monitored the clearance and heard 3 different terminology/phraseology. 'Radar vectors to the SID,' 'rejoin the SID,' 'expect,' 'cleared' resume, etc. My point is the various terminology used with the mead SID is too confusing. They do not give a fix where to rejoin the SID. There are hold down altitudes until crossing radials. Does the 070 degree heading cancel that part? This confusion came to a head oct/xx/95, for me. My first officer briefed me '3 DME, right turn, 070 degree radar vectors to resume the departure.' on initial contact with departure we requested a left turn direct boulder city VOR. 'Unable' was the reply. I executed a right turn to 070 degree and climbed at maximum angle of climb passing 10000 ft for 17000 ft. We asked for direct bld again. 'Fly the clearance' was what I understood his reply to be. Abeam bld at 17000 ft and 9 mi, departure asked 'when are you going to turn to bld.' when you clear us was my reply. We were given 'radar vectors.' I expected a clearance to 'turn to bld, resume departure' and I didn't get it. I feel I asked for clarification of clearance once or twice and got no help from controller. Callback conversation revealed the following information: las quality assurance specialist stated the problem of clearance confusion did exist but has been resolved with the mead 1 departure. The problem was with the mead 9 departure. He stated the problem has been resolved with the mead 1 departure which was effective nov/xx/95.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LAS DEP CLRNC CONFUSION.

Narrative: FOR THE PAST MONTH LAS CLRNC DELIVERY HAS BEEN ISSUING NON STANDARD/PUBLISHED SIDS. THESE CLRNCS INCLUDE '3 DME A R TURN AND 17000 FT.' CAPT THEN TRIES TO CONNECT THIS TO A PUBLISHED SID. THERE IS GREAT CONFUSION FROM MY FO'S WHO RECORD THE CLRNCS WHAT IS MEANT. I HAVE MONITORED THE CLRNC AND HEARD 3 DIFFERENT TERMINOLOGY/PHRASEOLOGY. 'RADAR VECTORS TO THE SID,' 'REJOIN THE SID,' 'EXPECT,' 'CLRED' RESUME, ETC. MY POINT IS THE VARIOUS TERMINOLOGY USED WITH THE MEAD SID IS TOO CONFUSING. THEY DO NOT GIVE A FIX WHERE TO REJOIN THE SID. THERE ARE HOLD DOWN ALTS UNTIL XING RADIALS. DOES THE 070 DEG HDG CANCEL THAT PART? THIS CONFUSION CAME TO A HEAD OCT/XX/95, FOR ME. MY FO BRIEFED ME '3 DME, R TURN, 070 DEG RADAR VECTORS TO RESUME THE DEP.' ON INITIAL CONTACT WITH DEP WE REQUESTED A L TURN DIRECT BOULDER CITY VOR. 'UNABLE' WAS THE REPLY. I EXECUTED A R TURN TO 070 DEG AND CLBED AT MAX ANGLE OF CLB PASSING 10000 FT FOR 17000 FT. WE ASKED FOR DIRECT BLD AGAIN. 'FLY THE CLRNC' WAS WHAT I UNDERSTOOD HIS REPLY TO BE. ABEAM BLD AT 17000 FT AND 9 MI, DEP ASKED 'WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO TURN TO BLD.' WHEN YOU CLR US WAS MY REPLY. WE WERE GIVEN 'RADAR VECTORS.' I EXPECTED A CLRNC TO 'TURN TO BLD, RESUME DEP' AND I DIDN'T GET IT. I FEEL I ASKED FOR CLARIFICATION OF CLRNC ONCE OR TWICE AND GOT NO HELP FROM CTLR. CALLBACK CONVERSATION REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: LAS QUALITY ASSURANCE SPECIALIST STATED THE PROB OF CLRNC CONFUSION DID EXIST BUT HAS BEEN RESOLVED WITH THE MEAD 1 DEP. THE PROB WAS WITH THE MEAD 9 DEP. HE STATED THE PROB HAS BEEN RESOLVED WITH THE MEAD 1 DEP WHICH WAS EFFECTIVE NOV/XX/95.

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.