New York Controller Corrects Japan Air Pilots on Departure Procedures

ATC Instruction Clarification

• ✈️ A Japan Air pilot was lectured by a New York controller regarding their departure procedure after taking off from runway 31 Left.
• ⚠️ The controller pointed out that the pilots were instructed to fly runway heading, which is a deviation from the standard procedure for that runway.

Standard Departure Procedures

• 🗺️ For runway 31 Left, pilots are typically instructed to turn left towards "Score" instead of flying runway heading.
• 🚦 This deviation is to avoid potential conflicts with traffic landing at LaGuardia Airport.
• 🚨 While there was no immediate traffic issue during this specific takeoff, the controller emphasized that flying runway heading could have created a dangerous situation.

Pilot's Explanation

• 📝 The Japan Air pilots stated that they followed the ATC clearance, which included a heading instruction.
• ⚙️ They mentioned that their Flight Management System (FMS) was set for the "Score 5 transition," but they complied with the controller's direct heading assignment.

Resolution and Future Reference

• ✅ The controller confirmed that no violation occurred due to the lack of conflicting traffic at that moment.
• 📚 The interaction served as a learning opportunity for the pilots regarding specific departure protocols at that airport.