Pilot Error: Southwest 3163's Incorrect Turn at LaGuardia

LaGuardia Departure Procedure

• ✈️ Southwest 3163 was instructed to turn right immediately after takeoff from runway 31 at LaGuardia.
• ⚠️ The correct procedure for this departure, according to air traffic control, involved a right turn heading 355 off the runway.
• 🗺️ The transcript suggests that a direct runway heading off runway 31 at LaGuardia is not possible due to traffic from Teterboro and Newark.

ATC Instructions and Pilot Response

• 🔊 Air traffic control repeatedly instructed Southwest 3163 to turn right, first to heading 010, and then corrected to heading 355.
• 🔄 Southwest 3163 initially acknowledged a right turn to 010, then later confirmed a turn to 280 after being instructed to maintain 15,000 feet.
• ❓ The video description notes that audio for clearance delivery was not recorded, making it impossible to know the exact departure instructions given via Datalink PDC.

Radar and Traffic Analysis

• 📊 New radar programs display other aircraft turning to 355 off runway 31, with some explicitly stating this instruction on first contact.
• 🧐 The video questions whether Southwest 3163 should have also been given this turn instruction.
• 🤝 The description invites feedback from pilots familiar with LaGuardia procedures regarding their clearances and flight paths.