B737-800
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Communication Breakdown; Distraction
ATC Issue All Types; Ground Event / Encounter Other / Unknown
General None Reported / Taken
Procedure
[We] departed Runway 15L at IAH. During takeoff roll; we noticed a Regional Jet on 15R conducting a simultaneous takeoff roll; just slightly ahead of us. As part of our takeoff clearance; we were assigned a left turn to a 120 heading. Most traffic departing 15R was being assigned right turns to northeasterly headings; long way around turns of greater than 180 degrees. Our two aircraft were wing tip to wing tip until leaving 400 FT. While it may be perfectly legal; this simultaneous; close parallel takeoff procedure is extremely disconcerting for the following reasons: Tower did not advise us of the parallel traffic; a loss of an engine or a flight control problem on either aircraft could have been disastrous for both. The long-way-around turns assigned to 15R departures can easily result in inadvertent; unintentional turns into the 15L aircraft. If we had been aware that a Regional Jet would be simultaneously departing; we may have chosen to briefly delay our departure. This practice may be legal; but with the runways so close together; its safety is questionable. Suggestions; IAH Tower should consider staggering departures off these closely spaced runways.
Air Carrier departure from Runway 15L at IAH voiced concern regarding traffic departing Runway 15R simultaneously without and ATC notification; the reporter recommended staggering departures in these types of operations.