C421 DEPARTING PHX IS QUESTIONED REGARDING PLT'S DIRECTION OF TURN; CAUSING A POTENTIAL CONFLICT WITH OTHER TFC IN THE VICINITY.

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IFR CLRNC WAS RECEIVED FOR FLT TO LUBBOCK; TX. CLRED LBB; HDG 090 DEGS; RADAR VECTORS V-190 SJV; THEN AS FILED; CLB TO 4000 FT; EXPECT 17000 FT 3 MINS AFTER DEP. AFTER TAXI AND RUN-UP; FLT DEPARTED. AFTER TKOF; ACFT TURNED TO 090 DEGS AND CONTINUED CLB TO 4000 FT. APPROX 2 MINS ON HDG OF 090 DEGS; CLBING OUT OF 3800 FT; CLRNC WAS RECEIVED 'CLB TO 9000 FT.' AFTER APPROX 2 MINS; CTLR SAID 'TURN R HDG 020 DEGS TO JOIN V-190; SNJ.' I READ BACK THIS INSTRUCTION; BUT RECEIVED NO COMMENT. I INITIATED A R CLBING TURN. AS ACFT PASSED THROUGH THE HDG OF APPROX 200 DEGS; CTLR WANTED TO KNOW WHERE I WAS TURNING TO. I RESTATED 020 DEGS; AND HE SAID 'MAINTAIN 6600 FT FOR AIRBUS TFC TO THE L AND IMMEDIATELY TURN TO 090 DEGS' -- WHICH WAS PROMPTLY ACCOMPLISHED. NO VISUAL SIGHTING OF THE AIRBUS WERE OBSERVED. ALT OF 6600 FT WAS MAINTAINED. AFTER APPROX 2 MINS; FLT WAS AGAIN TURNED 020 DEGS FOR V-190; SJN; AND LATER CLRED TO CLB TO 12000 FT. THE REST OF THE FLT CONTINUED UNEVENTFULLY. CONCLUSION: THIS WAS A BUSY TIME OF THE DAY FOR ARRS AND DEPS INTO THE PHOENIX AREA. I INITIALLY QUESTIONED IN MY MIND THE TURN TO THE R INSTEAD OF L TURN; BUT FELT AS THOUGH HE NEEDED US TO GAIN MORE ALT BEFORE INTERCEPTING V-190 DUE TO TERRAIN CLRNC. HOWEVER; ON THE READBACK; THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN CORRECTED.