Regional Jet 700 ER/LR (CRJ700)
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Situational Awareness; Confusion
Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Returned To Clearance
Human Factors; Procedure
We had been given Pre departure clearance (PDC) through ACARS. After we set the information in the FMS; briefed clearance and departure as we understood it. Very busy day in SAT with lots of radio traffic but few aircraft. We taxied to the runway and were cleared for takeoff while still northwest bound on the taxiway. The clearance was a simple 'cleared for takeoff'. During departure the Tower was trying to aid a pilot inbound or one on the ground with his location and was fully involved with instructions and communication with other GA aircraft. Switching frequencies without prompting we began following the route that was assigned to us according to the PDC. As we checked in with departure frequency; the controller asked us to turn to 090 heading and so we reversed our turn to the right as requested. He reminded us that all departures out of SAT are runway heading. During the debrief after the flight we looked over the PDC and tried to discern the reason for the disconnect.The PDC normally lists the actual route we should fly on the top portion; and below that the filed route is for information only. The actual route is usually found on the top row and is what is relevant to us. Later on we found out that the PDC does instruct us to fly runway heading; however it is written in a poor order as it was one row below a line that normally we don't emphasize (the filed route) versus the line above which refers to the actual clearance.PDC clearances are great; but perhaps need to be in an 'as you fly' standardized order.PDC printing is slightly different as far as where the transponder code; departure clearance frequency and altitude with a flight plan to fly and the filed one for reference in an order below or above.A standard format would be better; with the following suggestionPlan Runway 12R Departure (Runway Heading; SID; or fly heading) departure frequency 125.66ectFlight plan to be flown. Filed AltitudeArrival STAR or Direct to Airport; planned runway (becoming an issue as each arrival STAR is now a different track to a landing runway; and all are late term route changes as you fly the arrival; not the best time for data entry)Arrival Gate planned
CRJ-700 Captain reported a track deviation when he turned the wrong way after departing SAT. Reporter cited formatting of PDC as contributing to the event.