Narrative:

Departing ZZZ; runway 21; non tower operations. Our clearance was for the ABC1 departure followed by direct cdf. However; an air carrier long-held procedure for non tower operations calls for us to fly the obstacle departure first; then fly the cleared route. The difference was that the ABC1 procedure called for a left turn at abc and the obstacle departure calls for a right turn direct efg before proceeding on course. I flew the obstacle departure with the intent of upon reaching efg to turn back to abc and fly the cleared route. Upon checking in with center and activating our clearance; the controller stated that she expected us to fly our clearance (left turn abc) and not the obstacle departure procedure. Upon reviewing our ZZZ procedures; wording does indicate that only when cleared for a departure procedure that provides for terrain clearance may we fly that procedure; rather than the obstacle procedure. I was uncertain whether the abc departure satisfied that requirement; thus I chose the safer option and flew the obstacle departure first. I wrote a flight crew safety report upon my return to base and received a response from our standards department stating that the procedural wording for departures out of ZZZ was clear enough. I respectfully disagree as a 13 yr captain who has departed non-tower out of ZZZ on many occasions (always flying the obstacle departure first). If ABC1 departure is a satisfactory clearance to fly non-tower; then I believe our wording should so state.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR PLT DESCRIBES A CONFLICT DURING NON-TWR OPS BTWN HIS COMPANY'S REQUIREMENT FOR ACR ACFT TO FLY AN OBSTACLE CLRNC RTE AND ATC'S REQUIREMENT FOR THE ACFT TO FLY A SID.

Narrative: DEPARTING ZZZ; RWY 21; NON TWR OPS. OUR CLRNC WAS FOR THE ABC1 DEP FOLLOWED BY DIRECT CDF. HOWEVER; AN ACR LONG-HELD PROC FOR NON TWR OPS CALLS FOR US TO FLY THE OBSTACLE DEP FIRST; THEN FLY THE CLRED RTE. THE DIFFERENCE WAS THAT THE ABC1 PROC CALLED FOR A L TURN AT ABC AND THE OBSTACLE DEP CALLS FOR A R TURN DIRECT EFG BEFORE PROCEEDING ON COURSE. I FLEW THE OBSTACLE DEP WITH THE INTENT OF UPON REACHING EFG TO TURN BACK TO ABC AND FLY THE CLRED RTE. UPON CHKING IN WITH CTR AND ACTIVATING OUR CLRNC; THE CTLR STATED THAT SHE EXPECTED US TO FLY OUR CLRNC (L TURN ABC) AND NOT THE OBSTACLE DEP PROC. UPON REVIEWING OUR ZZZ PROCS; WORDING DOES INDICATE THAT ONLY WHEN CLRED FOR A DEP PROC THAT PROVIDES FOR TERRAIN CLRNC MAY WE FLY THAT PROC; RATHER THAN THE OBSTACLE PROC. I WAS UNCERTAIN WHETHER THE ABC DEP SATISFIED THAT REQUIREMENT; THUS I CHOSE THE SAFER OPTION AND FLEW THE OBSTACLE DEP FIRST. I WROTE A FLT CREW SAFETY RPT UPON MY RETURN TO BASE AND RECEIVED A RESPONSE FROM OUR STANDARDS DEPT STATING THAT THE PROCEDURAL WORDING FOR DEPS OUT OF ZZZ WAS CLR ENOUGH. I RESPECTFULLY DISAGREE AS A 13 YR CAPT WHO HAS DEPARTED NON-TWR OUT OF ZZZ ON MANY OCCASIONS (ALWAYS FLYING THE OBSTACLE DEP FIRST). IF ABC1 DEP IS A SATISFACTORY CLRNC TO FLY NON-TWR; THEN I BELIEVE OUR WORDING SHOULD SO STATE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.