B777-200
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Time Pressure; Training / Qualification; Situational Awareness; Distraction; Confusion; Communication Breakdown; Workload
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification; General Declared Emergency
Procedure; Chart Or Publication; Human Factors; Airport
As a seasoned Check Airman in both the 727 and 777 with over 25 years of service as a crew member at our airline I've never encountered more problems with ATC--worldwide; including India; China; Japan; Korea; France; England; Scotland; Germany; etc.--than what I have experienced with the Memphis Departure Control in regards to the new SIDS. For instance; on a recent flight I was asked by Memphis Tower approaching the departure end of Runway 36C if we had the JTEEE1 RNAV loaded into the FMC. Yes; of course; we did as; per our PDC and SOP; all four crew members confirmed we had it loaded and had briefed accordingly. When cleared for takeoff shortly thereafter--for my First Officer's first takeoff as a 777 crew member--we were given a 340 heading on departure. Clearly; this would take us off the JTEEE1 RNAV.JTEEE; but we gladly complied and at 400 feet AGL; we selected and flew the 340 degree heading. When finishing our clean up of the aircraft approaching 2;000 feet MSL; Memphis Departure cleared us direct to JTEEE then the JTEEE 1 departure. Sorry; but KIMEL was our next fix after JTEEE and JTEEE was the final fix on the JTEEE 1 RNAV departure for 36C. I asked 'confirm you want us to go direct to JTEEE then flight plan route as the SID doesn't exist past JTEEE?' He came back with the same response. I again asked did he want 'present position direct to JTEEE; flight plan route?' His response was again the same. At this point we were finishing up the clean up; accelerating to 250 and I asked for a higher speed as we needed 259 knots in order to stay clean without flaps extended. I received no response; so I asked again; do you want us to go to DLONG; GAMBLR; JTEEE in accordance with the JTEEE 1 RNAV departure; but he said something to the effect; 'I've given you the clearance and can't explain it any better.' By this time; I needed to concentrate on my student and make sure we maintained aircraft control so per our current Human Factors training; I chose to direct my student to continue to fly the aircraft; let me handle ATC; and climb to altitude safely where we could talk about it in a less threatening atmosphere. I also stated to Memphis Departure I was preceding direct to JTEEE; flight plan route; as per my decision [and per the previous clearance]. [Rejoining the SID by that time was no longer an option as we were essentially abeam the waypoints prior to JTEEE; DLONG and GMBLR.] I wasn't about to do that with potential traffic departing off of the three parallel runways. ATC could have cleared us to turn right intercept and rejoin the JTEEE 1 RNAV departure; flight plane route; or; to precede present position direct to JTEEE flight plan route and all on board would have understood what he wanted. This is the second time I've submitted an ASAP report in regards to Memphis SIDS. Clearly; there needs to be a major improvement in communication skills. Proper phraseology; pure and simple; would have prevented this situation. I'd also recommend; again; that all of the Memphis SIDS be 'cleaned up' to so that everyone understands exactly what they require and we would gladly do as they request.
A Check Airman conducting initial First Officer line training aboard an B777 was compelled to take unilateral action with respect to his initial departure when ATC first insured they were cleared via the JTEEE RNAV SID prior to takeoff; then gave them a 'non JTEEE compliant' vector heading with their takeoff clearance and then was unable to provide a proper clearance to return to the SID and continue on their flight planned/PDC cleared route after takeoff.  The reporter advised this was only one of many such experiences since the recent implementation of the new RNAV SIDs at MEM.