Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 143; Flight Crew Total 5000; Flight Crew Type 3000
Workload; Human-Machine Interface; Distraction; Communication Breakdown; Confusion
Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification
Aircraft; Airport; Procedure
Our aircraft was cleared the SUOH Reversal 2 for RWY 36 at RJFR. It was loaded into the FMS and confirmed by myself (PM) and the Captain (PF.) On climbout the PF called for the left autopilot shortly after passing 400 feet AGL. I actuated the left A/P and confirmed on the PFD the A/P engaged and the aircraft was in LNAV. I briefly changed the frequency to departure and checked in with our altitude and clearance. The departure called for an immediate right turn after 500 feet to circle over the runway while climbing then proceed to the DGC VOR to the west. Our aircraft was very light with a TOGW of 205;000 kgs and a takeoff thrust setting with a double derate of D-TO-2 and an assumed temperature of 64 degrees Celsius and a Climb-1 thrust setting. Despite the derates on the thrust setting the aircraft had superior climbing performance due to its light weight. After my check-in with departure I noticed the circular magenta LNAV track of the departure on our NDs had disappeared and only showed a line to the west from the airport to the DGC VOR. The aircraft quickly accelerated and was well into a left turn (rather than the prescribed right turn of the SWE2R departure.) My Captain; the PF; directed me to request a direct turn to the DGC VOR with the ATC controllers as the aircraft was deep into its left turn and a right turn was no longer an ideal option. There was no traffic in the vicinity. The request was somewhat hampered by language issues but the controller directed us to fly direct to the DGC VOR and amended our climb to 5;000 feet from 8;000 feet. We had programmed a noise abatement climb into the FMC and the aircraft's performance likely alleviated any noise concerns over the populated areas and handily cleared the surrounding terrain. In discussing the situation with my Captain; our opinion is that the departure is created for lower performance aircraft. With our high speeds on climbout the FMC aircraft quickly passed the right turn point at 500 feet and the FMS had the aircraft make the next logical step of turning left to the DGC VOR. My Captain is informing our company to advise other pilots operating out of RJFR to be aware of this issue and possibly take other steps to accomplish the departures.
During departure out of Kitakyushu Japan using Runway 36 for departure we were given the SUOH Reversal Two Departure (SWE2R) in our clearance it requires a wrap around right turn after 500 feet back to the VOR. We were light on takeoff. On the VNAV page it showed 500 feet then a right turn back to the VOR the turn showed up on the ND as a reasonable turn to the right. We were very light and reached 500 feet very quick. Probably just after the runway end. At 500 feet the magenta line came right back to us and disappeared behind us. The plane started a left turn and I said to First Officer it's supposed to a right turn check it; and at that time Control cleared us to FL80; and I told the First Officer to ask direct to DGC and we went direct DGC. No other mention of this came from the controller; didn't seem to be a problem. That departure procedure seems to more fit for a smaller jet.
A widebody freight aircraft departed on RJFR SWE2R SID and because it was exceptionally light climbed very quickly above the 500 feet right turn constraint and so the confused FMS with VNAV engaged; turned the aircraft left before the crew could respond.