Air Carrier departure from AEX was issued an unexpected turn for traffic; the direction of the turn not clarified resulting a possible airspace incursion.
Synopsis
Air Carrier departure from AEX was issued an unexpected turn for traffic; the direction of the turn not clarified resulting a possible airspace incursion.
Narrative
AEX; Runway 32; pilots and tower controller. Received a take off clearance with a heading 180 degree instruction that was very unusual for direction of flight. We were heading East; and always received some heading North-by-Northeast. Flight crew queried heading instruction and was told by ATC; heading 180 degrees was for traffic in the area. First Officer read back: 'Aircraft X; cleared for take off; Runway 32; fly heading 180 degrees; climb and maintain 10;000 ft.' Tower did not correct the read back. I think tower responded affirmative; giving us the mindset; that a right turn to heading 180 was correct. Departure provided vectors for and a clearance to proceed Enroute. Departure then asked us to call them once we landed. We were told the take off clearance was to make a left hand turn; not a right hand turn on course. Cause; the left turn was a turn away from our intended departure direction. This was very unusual for AEX. Suggestions; 1. Flight crew to be provided with direction of other traffic; to put us in the situational awareness loop; i.e. 'Traffic Northeast; on departure; turn left heading 180. 2. Controller catching and/or requiring; or expecting left/right read back due to unusual direction of turn. 3. Controller in tower seeing us on his scope turning the wrong direction; and correcting if able. 4. PNF reading back left turn 180 or right turn 180. 5. When controller heard read back of heading 180 from PNF; to query and ascertain intentions were to turn in the correct direction.
Second reporter narrative
AEX Runway 32; cleared for take off; thought we were told to turn right to 180 degrees and climb to 10;000ft. Had the First Officer query why we would make that much of a turn and was told traffic; First Officer read back cleared for take off Runway 32; turn to 180 degrees and climb to 10;000; controller responded affirmative. Started take off roll; normal lift off; at 500 ft; called for heading select and entered 180 degrees; started turn; Tower Controller handed us off to Polk Departure; switched to departure and was given a new heading to 100 degrees and intercept J-50; and comply and then gave us a phone number to call. Called number; and was told we were cleared for a left turn; not right to 180 degrees; to which I asked; if we were turning the wrong direction; why didn't tower query us; the gentleman responded; the tower couldn't see you due to the overcast; I asked didn't he see us on RADAR; which he responded; the tower operator is not RADAR qualified. I asked if we had come close to any aircraft; he responded that no we hadn't gotten close but we had infringed on the airspace separation they are required to keep. Cause; used to getting turns in the direction of flight; or to intercept airways. The left turn that they wanted me to do was an unusual clearance for AEX; and we should have probably asked the direction of the turn again; but we both were sure it was to the right. Suggestions; it would have been nice when we queried the turn; if he would have responded left turn to 180 for inbound traffic from the East; climb to 10;000 ft.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.