Narrative:

On the night of mar/xa/98 I was acting as the first officer on flight for an air carrier which provides service from columbus, ms, to alexandria, la. We were departing from columbus on runway 18 and were cleared as filed, and told to maintain 4000 ft. As filed tonight was J52, which is the 266 degree radial from bigbee VOR (igb). Upon departure we performed the after takeoff checks at approximately 1500 ft AGL. At this time we switched from gtr unicom to ZME and began a turn to the northwest to intercept J52. ZME asked us to climb to 6000 ft and identify. Once he had radar contact, he appeared to be confused about our location. We told him our heading to join J52, and he handed us off to ZME on 132.35, I believe. This controller told us about the previously relaxed possible deviation, and gave us a number to call. I think the initial confusion between crew members and ATC is that sometimes our air carrier's flight control files V245 from columbus to alexandria. V245 is the 231 degree radial off bigbee VOR. Also, ATC sometimes clears this flight direct from columbus to alexandria once radar contact is established, which was what eventually was done on the night of mar/xa/98. I think that if ZME knows that a direct route is available they should notify the crew of such before departure. From my experience on this flight in the past, the flcs already request direct when obtaining departure clearance or immediately after departure.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR E120 FLC FINDS THAT THE INITIAL CALL TO THE ARTCC CTLR CREATES CONFUSION AS TO THEIR LOCATION AND INTENTIONS POSSIBLY DUE TO VARYING ROUTINGS USED BY THEIR COMPANY'S DISPATCH AND FLT CTL UNIT. THE CONFUSION WAS APPARENTLY RESOLVED, BUT RADIO COM WITH THE ARTCC CTLR WHILE ON THE GND AT GTR IS A PROB.

Narrative: ON THE NIGHT OF MAR/XA/98 I WAS ACTING AS THE FO ON FLT FOR AN ACR WHICH PROVIDES SVC FROM COLUMBUS, MS, TO ALEXANDRIA, LA. WE WERE DEPARTING FROM COLUMBUS ON RWY 18 AND WERE CLRED AS FILED, AND TOLD TO MAINTAIN 4000 FT. AS FILED TONIGHT WAS J52, WHICH IS THE 266 DEG RADIAL FROM BIGBEE VOR (IGB). UPON DEP WE PERFORMED THE AFTER TKOF CHKS AT APPROX 1500 FT AGL. AT THIS TIME WE SWITCHED FROM GTR UNICOM TO ZME AND BEGAN A TURN TO THE NW TO INTERCEPT J52. ZME ASKED US TO CLB TO 6000 FT AND IDENT. ONCE HE HAD RADAR CONTACT, HE APPEARED TO BE CONFUSED ABOUT OUR LOCATION. WE TOLD HIM OUR HDG TO JOIN J52, AND HE HANDED US OFF TO ZME ON 132.35, I BELIEVE. THIS CTLR TOLD US ABOUT THE PREVIOUSLY RELAXED POSSIBLE DEV, AND GAVE US A NUMBER TO CALL. I THINK THE INITIAL CONFUSION BTWN CREW MEMBERS AND ATC IS THAT SOMETIMES OUR ACR'S FLT CTL FILES V245 FROM COLUMBUS TO ALEXANDRIA. V245 IS THE 231 DEG RADIAL OFF BIGBEE VOR. ALSO, ATC SOMETIMES CLRS THIS FLT DIRECT FROM COLUMBUS TO ALEXANDRIA ONCE RADAR CONTACT IS ESTABLISHED, WHICH WAS WHAT EVENTUALLY WAS DONE ON THE NIGHT OF MAR/XA/98. I THINK THAT IF ZME KNOWS THAT A DIRECT RTE IS AVAILABLE THEY SHOULD NOTIFY THE CREW OF SUCH BEFORE DEP. FROM MY EXPERIENCE ON THIS FLT IN THE PAST, THE FLCS ALREADY REQUEST DIRECT WHEN OBTAINING DEP CLRNC OR IMMEDIATELY AFTER DEP.

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.