Narrative:

At rdu we issue the departure SID and an altitude of 7000 ft to departing jets from clearance delivery. This morning I had 3 pilots -- 2 from air carrier's and 1 from an air taxi -- question the procedure (this is not the first time). The first was an air carrier pilot that said that the departure procedure said to climb to 1900 ft and wanted to verify that I had said 7000 ft in the clearance. I explained that the part he was reading was a non radar procedure. I stated that he should expect the local controller to issue a heading and he should climb to 7000 ft as I had instructed in his clearance. Another air carrier pilot chimed in; 1 min later; and said that the procedure said climb runway heading -- not an assigned heading. I explained again that it was a non radar procedure. Next an air taxi pilot said he had been listening and that the procedure was very confusing; it said climb on a 232 degree heading to 1900 ft; that it did not say it was a non radar procedure. I explained that he was expected to follow the heading from the local controller and climb to 7000 ft as instructed by clearance delivery. He said he would file from his end and asked us to check into it from our end. Here is the issue. We at rdu have had numerous complaints about the SID's at rdu. It is a safety issue. If a jet were to depart runway 23L or 23R and turn to a 210 degree heading; which is our procedure; and the pilot leveled at 1900 ft; he would impact an obstruction 10 mi south of the airport. If the jet departs runway 23L and the pilot does not take a turn till he leaves 1900 ft then he has deviated from traffic departing runway 23R. I have forwarded this issue to our management staff. In the past we have not had any relief resolving this issue from the regional or national level.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RDU CTLR VOICED CONCERN REGARDING SOME PLT CONFUSION CONCERNING ALT ASSIGNMENT VERSUS SID DEPICTIONS.

Narrative: AT RDU WE ISSUE THE DEP SID AND AN ALT OF 7000 FT TO DEPARTING JETS FROM CLRNC DELIVERY. THIS MORNING I HAD 3 PLTS -- 2 FROM ACR'S AND 1 FROM AN AIR TAXI -- QUESTION THE PROC (THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME). THE FIRST WAS AN ACR PLT THAT SAID THAT THE DEP PROC SAID TO CLB TO 1900 FT AND WANTED TO VERIFY THAT I HAD SAID 7000 FT IN THE CLRNC. I EXPLAINED THAT THE PART HE WAS READING WAS A NON RADAR PROC. I STATED THAT HE SHOULD EXPECT THE LCL CTLR TO ISSUE A HDG AND HE SHOULD CLB TO 7000 FT AS I HAD INSTRUCTED IN HIS CLRNC. ANOTHER ACR PLT CHIMED IN; 1 MIN LATER; AND SAID THAT THE PROC SAID CLB RWY HDG -- NOT AN ASSIGNED HDG. I EXPLAINED AGAIN THAT IT WAS A NON RADAR PROC. NEXT AN AIR TAXI PLT SAID HE HAD BEEN LISTENING AND THAT THE PROC WAS VERY CONFUSING; IT SAID CLB ON A 232 DEG HDG TO 1900 FT; THAT IT DID NOT SAY IT WAS A NON RADAR PROC. I EXPLAINED THAT HE WAS EXPECTED TO FOLLOW THE HDG FROM THE LCL CTLR AND CLB TO 7000 FT AS INSTRUCTED BY CLRNC DELIVERY. HE SAID HE WOULD FILE FROM HIS END AND ASKED US TO CHK INTO IT FROM OUR END. HERE IS THE ISSUE. WE AT RDU HAVE HAD NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SID'S AT RDU. IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE. IF A JET WERE TO DEPART RWY 23L OR 23R AND TURN TO A 210 DEG HDG; WHICH IS OUR PROC; AND THE PLT LEVELED AT 1900 FT; HE WOULD IMPACT AN OBSTRUCTION 10 MI S OF THE ARPT. IF THE JET DEPARTS RWY 23L AND THE PLT DOES NOT TAKE A TURN TILL HE LEAVES 1900 FT THEN HE HAS DEVIATED FROM TFC DEPARTING RWY 23R. I HAVE FORWARDED THIS ISSUE TO OUR MGMNT STAFF. IN THE PAST WE HAVE NOT HAD ANY RELIEF RESOLVING THIS ISSUE FROM THE REGIONAL OR NATIONAL LEVEL.

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.