B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 169
Workload; Situational Awareness; Distraction; Communication Breakdown; Confusion
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Airborne Conflict; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Air Traffic Control Separated Traffic; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action; Flight Crew FLC complied w / Automation / Advisory
Airport; Procedure
Aircraft was MEL'd TR system. Performance data commanded max thrust takeoff. We were cleared to takeoff Runway 1R and maintain visual on preceding regional carrier. At beginning of takeoff roll; the regional was rotating near departure end of runway. We lifted off much earlier than the regional and I lost sight as we increased pitch to 23 degrees nose high on our flight profile. We were assigned the BOACH6 RNAV Departure; so we started our turn to the west over the city. When we rolled out of the turn to BESSY; the regional carrier was at our 2:30 o'clock position level to slightly high about 1.5 miles and generally headed the same direction as us. The Tower asked if we saw the regional and after we responded yes; told us to maintain 6000 feet. We were unable due to our climb rate and the Tower assigned us 7000 feet and switched us to Departure. Prior to takeoff; we had no idea which departure was assigned to the regional. We asked the Tower after he assigned us 7000 feet and they stated the regional would be diverging from BESSY. We were considering turning back to the north to get behind the regional but the Departure Controller quickly assigned us a heading to the south. When we leveled at 7000 feet we got a TA which was likely initiated since we out climbed the regional in that short period of time; and were now leveling just slightly above him. I estimate we were between 1 and 1.5 miles apart at our closest point. Once our turn started to the south; the geometry improved; the regional climbed and the conflict resolved. We did not anticipate a potential conflict and did not know which direction the regional was departing and could have asked prior to brake release. Tower would have no way of knowing how mismatched our performance would be. In any case; there was no way that we could fly our climb profile; turn as commanded by the RNAV Departure; and stay behind the preceding aircraft. For this to work for aircraft with various performance capabilities and tight departure spacing; the departure procedures turning that direction need a defined point on the ground to initiate the turn; not an altitude. In general; the Tower and Departure Controllers did a great job de-conflicting this situation. The departure itself needs some adjustments for this scenario to work.
A B737 flight crew departed LAS Runway 1R behind a regional jet on the same runway and were told to maintain visual separation but they were unable because the B737 performance over took the other aircraft. ATC issued a vector for separation.