Medium Transport; Low Wing; 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Flight Instructor
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 125; Flight Crew Total 9000; Flight Crew Type 1500
Situational Awareness; Communication Breakdown; Training / Qualification
Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Flight Crew Returned To Clearance
Airspace Structure; Procedure; Human Factors; Environment - Non Weather Related; Airport
Taking off from LAX original clearance was heading 250 degrees; climb to 3;000 FT vectors. Taking the runway; the Controller said after departing turn to heading 270 degrees; at which point the pilot flying said; 'last time I turned before Shoreline and got a nasty gram from The Department of Airports so I'm not turning till the Shoreline.' Because we were light; we were off in 3;000 FT of runway. There is still another 2 miles to the Shoreline. Soon enough the Controller got after us and I replied; 'the difficulty with the early turn is the airport has a problem with it.' Needless to say he was not happy. The problem here is that there was a conflict between pilot flying and Tower and all I had to do was advise the Tower. But now I recognize that when the Tower tells you to do something; do it! It is in the name of safety. I was lulled into the assumption that the pilot flying and the Controller were on the same page. From now on; no assumptions and do what the Controller says then question them; unless it's obviously not safe.
A high performance corporate jet Captain refused to turn to heading 270 after takeoff from LAX because the previous flight's early turn resulted in an Airport Authority letter. This departure LAX Controllers need separation and were unhappy.