Narrative:

We arrived at iad on flight a, and went outbound on flight B. We had approximately 20 mins to preflight. This may have had an affect on what happened next, and the first 10 mins of flight. After takeoff from runway 30, we were given several heading changes, then the last clearance was to climb from 10000 ft to FL190, turn left to heading 050 degrees and intercept (as I heard it) the 217 degree radial off of smyrna. Between the captain and I, we were questioning the clearance because the captain heard, heading 150 degrees and had already started a r-hand turn to heading 150 degrees. The controller was very busy, and we could not contact him. When he did call us, he gave us a frequency change. When I contacted the new controller and questioned our clearance, he told me to stand by. Then he came back and gave us again, another frequency change. When we got to the new frequency, the controller had raised his voice, and said turn to heading 050 degrees and intercept the 271 degree radial inbound to smyrna (emo) -- it is depicted on the capitol 4 departure. When we were given the clearance, and wanted to confirm it, we were unable. To give us multiple frequency changes, and to tell us to stand by made this very confusing and stressful. If the controller would have mentioned it was on the SID, it would have clarified everything. I learned from this episode, and nest time will review the SID much more carefully to try and examine all the possibilities we could get.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC CONFUSED CTLR'S VECTOR BY 100 DEGS.

Narrative: WE ARRIVED AT IAD ON FLT A, AND WENT OUTBOUND ON FLT B. WE HAD APPROX 20 MINS TO PREFLT. THIS MAY HAVE HAD AN AFFECT ON WHAT HAPPENED NEXT, AND THE FIRST 10 MINS OF FLT. AFTER TKOF FROM RWY 30, WE WERE GIVEN SEVERAL HDG CHANGES, THEN THE LAST CLRNC WAS TO CLB FROM 10000 FT TO FL190, TURN L TO HDG 050 DEGS AND INTERCEPT (AS I HEARD IT) THE 217 DEG RADIAL OFF OF SMYRNA. BTWN THE CAPT AND I, WE WERE QUESTIONING THE CLRNC BECAUSE THE CAPT HEARD, HDG 150 DEGS AND HAD ALREADY STARTED A R-HAND TURN TO HDG 150 DEGS. THE CTLR WAS VERY BUSY, AND WE COULD NOT CONTACT HIM. WHEN HE DID CALL US, HE GAVE US A FREQ CHANGE. WHEN I CONTACTED THE NEW CTLR AND QUESTIONED OUR CLRNC, HE TOLD ME TO STAND BY. THEN HE CAME BACK AND GAVE US AGAIN, ANOTHER FREQ CHANGE. WHEN WE GOT TO THE NEW FREQ, THE CTLR HAD RAISED HIS VOICE, AND SAID TURN TO HDG 050 DEGS AND INTERCEPT THE 271 DEG RADIAL INBOUND TO SMYRNA (EMO) -- IT IS DEPICTED ON THE CAPITOL 4 DEP. WHEN WE WERE GIVEN THE CLRNC, AND WANTED TO CONFIRM IT, WE WERE UNABLE. TO GIVE US MULTIPLE FREQ CHANGES, AND TO TELL US TO STAND BY MADE THIS VERY CONFUSING AND STRESSFUL. IF THE CTLR WOULD HAVE MENTIONED IT WAS ON THE SID, IT WOULD HAVE CLARIFIED EVERYTHING. I LEARNED FROM THIS EPISODE, AND NEST TIME WILL REVIEW THE SID MUCH MORE CAREFULLY TO TRY AND EXAMINE ALL THE POSSIBILITIES WE COULD GET.

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.