Narrative:

Initially given 190 degree heading on departure off of runway 17R at sdf. Departure issued a right turn to 360 degrees to join V53. I looked at the low chart and misread the airway. We asked for clarification and the controller reiterated the clearance and gave us a frequency change. Again we asked for clarification on the clearance and the controller issued us a heading and eventually direct to ape. I was not familiar with strep intersection on the low chart and did not have a 'big picture' of the routing to the northwest of sdf prior to an eastbound turn. When the captain asked me for my opinion of the clearance, I was sure we had been given a bad vector. A more careful review of the route on both the low and high charts will prevent a repeat occurrence.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-300 FLC IS CONFUSED AS TO THEIR PLANNED RTE VERSUS THE CLRNC AS ASSIGNED BY SDF DEP CTLR AFTER A S DEP FROM SDF, KY.

Narrative: INITIALLY GIVEN 190 DEG HDG ON DEP OFF OF RWY 17R AT SDF. DEP ISSUED A R TURN TO 360 DEGS TO JOIN V53. I LOOKED AT THE LOW CHART AND MISREAD THE AIRWAY. WE ASKED FOR CLARIFICATION AND THE CTLR REITERATED THE CLRNC AND GAVE US A FREQ CHANGE. AGAIN WE ASKED FOR CLARIFICATION ON THE CLRNC AND THE CTLR ISSUED US A HDG AND EVENTUALLY DIRECT TO APE. I WAS NOT FAMILIAR WITH STREP INTXN ON THE LOW CHART AND DID NOT HAVE A 'BIG PICTURE' OF THE ROUTING TO THE NW OF SDF PRIOR TO AN EBOUND TURN. WHEN THE CAPT ASKED ME FOR MY OPINION OF THE CLRNC, I WAS SURE WE HAD BEEN GIVEN A BAD VECTOR. A MORE CAREFUL REVIEW OF THE RTE ON BOTH THE LOW AND HIGH CHARTS WILL PREVENT A REPEAT OCCURRENCE.

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.