Narrative:

ATC sequenced our aircraft to depart on the opposite end of the runway they had cleared another flight to land on without notification to our crew. Prior to takeoff on runway 8; the tower instructed us to turn as soon as practical after takeoff with no further instructions. During takeoff roll; a B737 was visible turning short final on runway 26 (we were on runway 8). We were then instructed to make an immediate left turn at 300 ft over the hilo residential area. We received a TCAS TA when the other aircraft was less than 1 mi and 300 ft vertical. When ATC was questioned about the departure procedure; the controller said 'sorry.' we felt this was a very unsafe action. The tower did not even give us a heads up that there was an aircraft approaching us in the opposite direction. Crew saw opposite direction traffic lining up for the opposite direction; landing on the runway they were departing from. Complied with ATC instruction to de-conflict situation. More communications and coordination with opposite direction lndgs.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR PLT DESCRIBED OPPOSITE DIR TFC DURING TKOF FROM ITO; NO TFC INFO PROVIDED BY ATC; REPORTER CLAIMING UNSAFE ATC ACTION.

Narrative: ATC SEQUENCED OUR ACFT TO DEPART ON THE OPPOSITE END OF THE RWY THEY HAD CLRED ANOTHER FLT TO LAND ON WITHOUT NOTIFICATION TO OUR CREW. PRIOR TO TKOF ON RWY 8; THE TWR INSTRUCTED US TO TURN AS SOON AS PRACTICAL AFTER TKOF WITH NO FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS. DURING TKOF ROLL; A B737 WAS VISIBLE TURNING SHORT FINAL ON RWY 26 (WE WERE ON RWY 8). WE WERE THEN INSTRUCTED TO MAKE AN IMMEDIATE L TURN AT 300 FT OVER THE HILO RESIDENTIAL AREA. WE RECEIVED A TCAS TA WHEN THE OTHER ACFT WAS LESS THAN 1 MI AND 300 FT VERT. WHEN ATC WAS QUESTIONED ABOUT THE DEP PROC; THE CTLR SAID 'SORRY.' WE FELT THIS WAS A VERY UNSAFE ACTION. THE TWR DID NOT EVEN GIVE US A HEADS UP THAT THERE WAS AN ACFT APCHING US IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. CREW SAW OPPOSITE DIRECTION TFC LINING UP FOR THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION; LNDG ON THE RWY THEY WERE DEPARTING FROM. COMPLIED WITH ATC INSTRUCTION TO DE-CONFLICT SITUATION. MORE COMS AND COORD WITH OPPOSITE DIRECTION LNDGS.

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.