Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Communication Breakdown; Confusion; Workload; Time Pressure
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
General None Reported / Taken
Chart Or Publication; Procedure; Company Policy
I called for clearance before departure; at roughly the same time the lineman informed us that our passenger had arrived. Clearance Delivery issued the clearance; and asked 'can you depart before top of the hour?' The way the question was stated caused me to believe there was going to be some restriction if we could not depart prior to the top of the hour. I replied that our passenger had already arrived; so we probably could. Approximately ten minutes later; I called Ground Control for taxi. He issued taxi instructions; and then asked 'can you depart before the hour?' Again; the way it was phrased led me to believe we needed to be airborne prior to the top of the hour. I replied we could. As we were approaching 19R; the Tower Controller again asked us 'can you depart before top of the hour?' I stated we could; but asked why each Controller had asked us that. He replied; 'For curfew and noise abatement; cleared for takeoff 19R.' We briefly discussed that we would need to perform a noise abatement takeoff; and proceeded to do so.In flight; I kept wondering why ATC would keep asking if we could takeoff prior to the hour. I looked at the Jepp charts for a clue; but there was no information regarding noise abatement or curfew on the Jepp plates for the airport that I could see. My partner then pulled up the feasibility notes in the company PED flight brief; which had a note about the airport's curfew. Aside from the three 'can you depart before the hour' queries; ATC made no note of the curfew.The only reference to the curfew should not be buried in notes. It is too easy to miss there. The Jeppesen charts should reference the curfew and noise abatement more clearly; similar to the notes on the SMO airport diagram. Additionally; The iPhone brief has the ability to place a caution marker; similar to the one on our current brief. In short; some indication of the curfew anywhere other than buried in the feasibility notes. Additionally; after the three queries from ATC we should have asked for further clarification. I am curious why were we cleared for takeoff before its expiration?
A pilot questioned why the SNA commercial airport chart does not contain a reference to the curfew and then why SNA Tower cleared them for takeoff prior to the curfew expiration.