Regional Jet 900 (CRJ900)
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Distraction; Situational Awareness
Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Wake Vortex Encounter
Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Returned To Clearance
Environment - Non Weather Related; Human Factors
It was the captain's leg to fly. We took off behind an Airbus on the IZZZO3 departure JOLAR transition off of runway 7 left. Right after takeoff; we encountered wake turbulence from the departing Airbus in front of us. The captain didn't make the usual callouts for NAV mode at 400 feet AGL or autopilot on at 600 feet AGL as I figured he was trying to avoid the wake turbulence by hand flying the initial climb. We were then handed off to Phoenix Departure control. I switched the frequency but waited for the captain to call for flaps 1; flaps up; set climb thrust command before I contacted Phoenix Departure. We reached acceleration altitude and I stated 'acceleration altitude'. Once flaps were up and climb thrust was set; I contacted Phoenix Departure. As I was talking with Phoenix Departure; I noticed the captain armed the autopilot and selected a mode which I thought was the NAV mode button. I believe that Phoenix Departure cleared us to another altitude; possibly flight level 210; but I can't remember. I was watching the Airbus in front of us as it was departing the same direction as we were to the right to make sure we maintained traffic separation. I noticed the FMS gauges switch to turn us to the south after FUTEP to fly towards AZCRD; but I noticed the plane was not turning. I stated to the captain that the airplane was not turning and the captain turned off the autopilot and hand flew it to get us back on course. Phoenix Departure asked if we were on the IZZZO3 and I said affirmative. Phoenix Departure gave us a new heading or fix to fly to (I can't remember which); the captain turned the autopilot back on; and we complied with Phoenix Departure instructions as she got us back on course. The Phoenix Departure controller handed us off to Albuquerque Center and I switched over. As I was contacting Albuquerque Center; the captain used COMM 2 to contact the Phoenix Departure controller we just left. I monitored his conversation with her as I stayed on the line with Albuquerque Center. He asked her for the phone number of the Phoenix Departure supervisor. After she gave him the number; he then asked her if we were in violation of anything. She said no and that we were fine. She said she just noticed that we were flying past the initial fix of FUTEP and wanted to make sure we were on the IZZZO3 departure. Later; I asked the captain what happened and why the plane did not make the turn. He stated that he believes he went to heading mode instead of NAV Mode after turning on the autopilot; but he was not sure. He said he was trying to stay upwind of the Airbus departure path to get us out of the wake turbulence. We monitored the FMS for the rest of the flight and there were no more errors on behalf of the autopilot and FMS. When we arrived; the captain called the Phoenix Departure supervisor on his cell phone. I could not hear the supervisor's side of the conversation; so after the captain ended the call; I asked him what he said. The captain stated that the Phoenix Departure supervisor said the Phoenix Departure controller said there was no problem so the supervisor said there was not a problem. I believe this occurrence could have been avoided if the call for NAV mode would have been made at the 400 AGL point and autopilot on at 600 AGL and the hands of the pilot flying stayed on the yoke in case the wake turbulence caused excessive pitch or roll movement so the pilot flying could intervene in a timely manner. I also believe this occurrence could have been avoided if the pilot flying made the callouts for the buttons on the panel to be pushed by the pilot monitoring to ensure that both pilots could verify that the correct buttons were being pushed. I also believe this occurrence could have been avoided if the pilot monitoring verified which buttons were pushed on the panel as the pilot flying selected those buttons while the pilot monitoring was talking to Phoenix Departure.
CRJ-900 First Officer reported a track deviation resulted following a wake turbulence encounter departing PHX in trail of an Airbus.