Narrative:

On initial climb out ZZZ; felt much yawing motion; returned to ZZZ; declared emergency to get priority handling. At first ZZZ wanted runway of their choice for convenience; then told us any runway we wanted was approved. We accepted runway 9R. We performed QRH abnormal 'airplane oscillating or displaced in yaw' and found aircraft handled better with rudder in manual mode. Told flight attendants that we would land within 12 mins; and did not plan to evacuate/evacuation. Announced to passenger we had problem with 'rudder assist' and would return to ZZZ for precautionary landing shortly and to follow flight attendant instructions. We landed uneventfully at 128500 pounds; cleared runway; and told ATC that equipment was not needed. We then had to wait for a gate which was more stressful to the passenger and flight attendants that the previous portion of the event. We had numerous reports from flight attendants while waiting that while passenger had cooperated during flight part of emergency; they did not understand why an aircraft with a problem now received no priority and attention. I ran out of explanations.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 CREW REPORTS RUDDER OSCILLATIONS ON DEPARTURE; DECLARES EMERGENCY AND RETURNS FOR UNEVENTFUL LNDG; USING MANUAL RUDDER CTL.

Narrative: ON INITIAL CLBOUT ZZZ; FELT MUCH YAWING MOTION; RETURNED TO ZZZ; DECLARED EMER TO GET PRIORITY HANDLING. AT FIRST ZZZ WANTED RWY OF THEIR CHOICE FOR CONVENIENCE; THEN TOLD US ANY RWY WE WANTED WAS APPROVED. WE ACCEPTED RWY 9R. WE PERFORMED QRH ABNORMAL 'AIRPLANE OSCILLATING OR DISPLACED IN YAW' AND FOUND ACFT HANDLED BETTER WITH RUDDER IN MANUAL MODE. TOLD FLT ATTENDANTS THAT WE WOULD LAND WITHIN 12 MINS; AND DID NOT PLAN TO EVAC. ANNOUNCED TO PAX WE HAD PROB WITH 'RUDDER ASSIST' AND WOULD RETURN TO ZZZ FOR PRECAUTIONARY LNDG SHORTLY AND TO FOLLOW FLT ATTENDANT INSTRUCTIONS. WE LANDED UNEVENTFULLY AT 128500 LBS; CLRED RWY; AND TOLD ATC THAT EQUIP WAS NOT NEEDED. WE THEN HAD TO WAIT FOR A GATE WHICH WAS MORE STRESSFUL TO THE PAX AND FLT ATTENDANTS THAT THE PREVIOUS PORTION OF THE EVENT. WE HAD NUMEROUS RPTS FROM FLT ATTENDANTS WHILE WAITING THAT WHILE PAX HAD COOPERATED DURING FLT PART OF EMER; THEY DID NOT UNDERSTAND WHY AN ACFT WITH A PROB NOW RECEIVED NO PRIORITY AND ATTN. I RAN OUT OF EXPLANATIONS.

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.