US procedure is to wait until told to "change to departure" except at military bases for fighter types. Someone here is going to kill that idea as "American and hence WRONG", but anyway, why not just have the tower do it the American way? Everyone knows what's going to happen, tower still has contact and positive change to departure. The German procedure was fine at EDDF, but not used at Ramstein (Yank base), confusing. Make it "out of 1000 feet, contact departure" (CYVR, yesterday) is going to have the faux arguing about AGL, MSL, or Gods knows what.
DOC 4444 should make this clear, ONE way!
GF