B757-200
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Human-Machine Interface
Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
General None Reported / Taken
Chart Or Publication; Company Policy; Aircraft; Procedure
Apparently LEBL ATC called up and wanted to know why we started our turn late on the GRAUS 3Q departure from LEBL. The SID requires a turn at 500 AGL. Unfortunately we are required to turn the autopilot on at 500 AGL per the company's airport operations tailored page so after the autopilot is turned on it takes the jet awhile to figure out where it is and where its going and you're through 1;000 feet AGL before it starts turning. A better way to do this is to hand fly the initial 164 heading THEN turn the autopilot On. Until the company's autopilot requirement is removed we will continue to have problems with this Departure.
A B757 Captain advised that his air carrier's requirement to engage the autopilot/ at 500 AGL is incompatible with the need to comply with restrictions on the GRAUS 3Q RNAV SID out of LEBL.