Light Transport; Low Wing; 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 150; Flight Crew Total 13000; Flight Crew Type 3000
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Flight Crew Returned To Clearance
ATC Equipment / Nav Facility / Buildings; Aircraft
The aircraft departed Runway 26L at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson Airport while executing the KAJIN 2 RNAV departure calling for an initial heading '275 degrees to intercept course 288 degrees to SNUFY...' The FMS had been programmed and then checked by both crew members to assure both crew members understood the departure requirements. During taxi out; ground control asked us to confirm the departure's first fix and the PNF responded; 'SNUFY.' Handed over to tower; tower personnel as we were taxing out again asked the crew to identify the first fix on the departure and again; the PNF responded; 'SNUFY.' The aircraft was then cleared to taxi into position on Rwy 26L and wait. As the aircraft was complying; and for the third time; tower personnel asked us to identify the first fix and for the third time the PNF responded; 'SNUFY.' Cleared for takeoff; we began the takeoff run with the flight director set to NAV mode; with the NAV selected on the flight guidance panel. At 500 feet and to assure the departure procedure was followed; the PF commanded autopilot on and PNF selected the autopilot after the aircraft was cleaned up and accelerating through 210 knots; a standard routine in such cases on this aircraft. The PF's MFD showed the course prescribed by the KAJIN 2 RNAV departure including the turn point at which the aircraft; according to FMS commands; would turn right to intercept the 288 course to SNUFY intersection as depicted on the PF's MFD.Seconds; literally seconds; before achieving the turn point depicted on the PF's MFD; tower personnel asked if we were in the right turn; which under command of the FMS and the Flight Director/Autopilot was executing as the tower inquired. PNF acknowledged the turn had begun. A few moments later as the aircraft established itself on the prescribed 288 degree heading as achieved by the FMS and Flight Director/Autopilot; tower personnel commented; 'I see you are now on track'; a comment; when coupled with the tower's previous comment about the turn caused the crew to question what was going on with the tower and they handed us off to departure control. No other reference to the tower's inquiries were subsequently made.Several things played into the filing of this report. First; the crew reviewed the departure at length prior to taxi to assure procedures we met and both crew members reviewed the FMS to ensure the proper runway; departure and outbound waypoints were; in fact; correct. The three-time prompting by ground and tower personnel at ATL provoked the crew to each time again check that the crew was; in fact; looking at the correct departure; its prescribed waypoints and review procedures the crew would use to comply with the procedures; i.e.; that the FMSs had been programmed correctly; the correct modes were set in the PFD's and the correct mode for takeoff had been set for takeoff; i.e.; NAV mode. Prior to the initial contact by the tower; the PF properly and at the appropriate altitude point called for the autopilot to be set to further ensure departure compliance.Second; in discussing the matter between themselves; the crew recounted how a similar situation involving a different crew and aircraft on departing LAX received from the FAA notice of violations for computer-derived deviations from the required RNAV departure. The crew is resolute in their belief that no deviation from the cleared KAJIN 2 RNAV departure occurred. The FMSs had been properly programmed with the appropriate departure; the FMS databases were current. The course headings and the thrice-confirmed first departure fix; SNUFY; had been repeatedly and correctly identified by the crew and all systems on board the aircraft had been tripled checked to make sure the data depicted was correct. This report is being filed out of concern by the crew that despite what the crew believes as fact based on the procedures followed and what was being depicted by the navigational equipment in the aircraft that anATC computer at Atlanta tower without justification generated the 'alert' tower personnel commented upon.The crew was not advised of the necessity to contact anyone at Atlanta Center nor were any other comments made to the crew which found the tower's comments both curious and somewhat concerning; hence the filing of this report out of concern; in part; given the known faults with ATC computers 'drawing' incorrect assumptive lines of an aircraft's presumed course deviations prior to any deviations actually occurring as was the case with another crew in a different airplane departing LAX.
Corporate jet Captain reported before departing ATL on the KAJIN 2 SID they were questioned about their first fix multiple times. On departure; Tower commented about them not following the procedure; but the aircraft had not reached the point where the automation planned on starting the turn yet.