Narrative:

Our route was filed hsv-mem. Our clearance was as filed. At approximately 4000 ft on climb out, ATC said cleared right turn on course. We were not receiving mem VOR yet. The captain asked for a vector. ATC became upset and questioned why we filed something we could not fly. We could (and in hindsight should) have intercepted the 281 degree radial off decatur VOR but that VOR was mi from our position so that would not technically be a direct mem routing. No conflicts occurred and ATC gave us a 270 degree heading, followed by a frequency change to ZME, who gave us the vector.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TRACON DEP CTLR CHALLENGED ACR MD80S FLC WHEN FLC REQUEST VECTORS ON COURSE. AFTER FREQ CHANGE TO ARTCC, CTLR ISSUES HEADING UNTIL ACFT WITHIN NAVAID RECEPTION.

Narrative: OUR RTE WAS FILED HSV-MEM. OUR CLRNC WAS AS FILED. AT APPROX 4000 FT ON CLBOUT, ATC SAID CLRED R TURN ON COURSE. WE WERE NOT RECEIVING MEM VOR YET. THE CAPT ASKED FOR A VECTOR. ATC BECAME UPSET AND QUESTIONED WHY WE FILED SOMETHING WE COULD NOT FLY. WE COULD (AND IN HINDSIGHT SHOULD) HAVE INTERCEPTED THE 281 DEG RADIAL OFF DECATUR VOR BUT THAT VOR WAS MI FROM OUR POS SO THAT WOULD NOT TECHNICALLY BE A DIRECT MEM ROUTING. NO CONFLICTS OCCURRED AND ATC GAVE US A 270 DEG HEADING, FOLLOWED BY A FREQ CHANGE TO ZME, WHO GAVE US THE VECTOR.

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.