Tired - quite right! When the old flying boats retired my heart went too!
Max Angle
Remember, 'Perf A' is only a grouping. It does not stipulate 'straight ahead' only, and has factors for turning flight paths.
Boeing (the only one I know well), run climb performance programmes for all SIDs and will tell you whether you will achieve screen height or not engine out. If not, you publish an 'Emergency Turn' (old guy's speak, I guess, for an EOSID!)
As has been said a couple of times above, make sure you KNOW how your company calculate terrain clearance on SID's - and it is a brave and possibly foolish person who makes up their own! I repeat, Perf A considerations do NOT require you to fly only in a straight line!
[ 20 July 2001: Message edited by: BOAC ]