Narrative:

We departed rno for cyyj. The aircraft was heavy and there was light to moderate chop during the initial climb. The assigned departure calls for a turn (left) direct to fmg VOR after crossing the irno localizer 3.0 DME fix. We were at about 6800 ft MSL at 3.0 DME and I was not comfortable with the turn at that low altitude and with the turbulence, so I continued the climb to 7500 ft (about 1.5-2 mi) and began my left turn after clearing the airspace both visually and checking our TCASII. The radio was very busy so we were unable to communicate our plan to the controller until after crossing the 3.0 DME fix. That departure should be changed to state a minimum altitude prior to turning. Meteorological conditions at rno so often just make normal climb gradients -- high altitude, turbulence, and high temperatures. The controller seemed very upset about our not turning at the 3.0 DME fix, but failed to assist in assuring us the airspace was clear until after questioning our late turn, receiving an explanation, and requesting we call approach control by telephone on arrival at our destination. This did not seem appropriate with so much radio traffic, high terrain and other factors. If there was not a traffic/separation problem a question and answer would be adequate. Supplemental information from acn 328480: area was dark and we wanted to climb higher to assure avoidance of terrain.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WHILE FLYING A PUBLISHED DEP PROC, AN MD80 FLC DELAYED THEIR TURN TO GUARANTEE TERRAIN AVOIDANCE. THEY WERE EXPERIENCING TURB THAT HAD DETERIORATED THE ACFT'S CLB PERFORMANCE AND WERE UNABLE TO ADVISE THE CTLR IN ADVANCE DUE TO FREQ CONGESTION. THEY RECEIVED QUESTIONING AND A PHONE NUMBER TO CALL, AS A RESULT. TRACK DEV.

Narrative: WE DEPARTED RNO FOR CYYJ. THE ACFT WAS HVY AND THERE WAS LIGHT TO MODERATE CHOP DURING THE INITIAL CLB. THE ASSIGNED DEP CALLS FOR A TURN (L) DIRECT TO FMG VOR AFTER XING THE IRNO LOC 3.0 DME FIX. WE WERE AT ABOUT 6800 FT MSL AT 3.0 DME AND I WAS NOT COMFORTABLE WITH THE TURN AT THAT LOW ALT AND WITH THE TURB, SO I CONTINUED THE CLB TO 7500 FT (ABOUT 1.5-2 MI) AND BEGAN MY L TURN AFTER CLRING THE AIRSPACE BOTH VISUALLY AND CHKING OUR TCASII. THE RADIO WAS VERY BUSY SO WE WERE UNABLE TO COMMUNICATE OUR PLAN TO THE CTLR UNTIL AFTER XING THE 3.0 DME FIX. THAT DEP SHOULD BE CHANGED TO STATE A MINIMUM ALT PRIOR TO TURNING. METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS AT RNO SO OFTEN JUST MAKE NORMAL CLB GRADIENTS -- HIGH ALT, TURB, AND HIGH TEMPS. THE CTLR SEEMED VERY UPSET ABOUT OUR NOT TURNING AT THE 3.0 DME FIX, BUT FAILED TO ASSIST IN ASSURING US THE AIRSPACE WAS CLR UNTIL AFTER QUESTIONING OUR LATE TURN, RECEIVING AN EXPLANATION, AND REQUESTING WE CALL APCH CTL BY TELEPHONE ON ARR AT OUR DEST. THIS DID NOT SEEM APPROPRIATE WITH SO MUCH RADIO TFC, HIGH TERRAIN AND OTHER FACTORS. IF THERE WAS NOT A TFC/SEPARATION PROB A QUESTION AND ANSWER WOULD BE ADEQUATE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 328480: AREA WAS DARK AND WE WANTED TO CLB HIGHER TO ASSURE AVOIDANCE OF TERRAIN.

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.