Narrative:

I'm writing this to cover myself in case we took off at ord west/O takeoff clearance. The captain made the call that we were ready for takeoff while I (the first officer) was doing the before takeoff checklist with the second officer. I am a new copilot (2 weeks) and did not hear the takeoff instructions. We moved into position and began the roll. I didn't realize I hadn't actually heard the takeoff clearance till we were well into the takeoff. I asked the captain; he assured we had it. Tower of departure controller made no comment to us, so I assume there was no problem. Unfortunately, I feel the FAA is in a pilot-hanging mode and it is necessary to cover yourself and trust no one. I feel the main reason for this confusion was a classic problem that needs to be addressed by the FAA. The captain had 5 months as captain on this aircraft (4 yrs total as captain), I had 2 weeks as first officer and the second officer was on his IOE with an instrument second officer. I feel that the inexperience of all of us caused more than normal confusion in the taxi-out, takeoff phase. I feel the FAA needs to restrict new pilots from being crewed together for the first few months on the line.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FO REPORTING SUSPECTS THEY MADE A TKOF AT ORD WITHOUT CLRNC, DESPITE CAPT'S AFFIRMATIVE ASSURANCE.

Narrative: I'M WRITING THIS TO COVER MYSELF IN CASE WE TOOK OFF AT ORD W/O TKOF CLRNC. THE CAPT MADE THE CALL THAT WE WERE READY FOR TKOF WHILE I (THE F/O) WAS DOING THE BEFORE TKOF CHKLIST WITH THE S/O. I AM A NEW COPLT (2 WKS) AND DID NOT HEAR THE TKOF INSTRUCTIONS. WE MOVED INTO POS AND BEGAN THE ROLL. I DIDN'T REALIZE I HADN'T ACTUALLY HEARD THE TKOF CLRNC TILL WE WERE WELL INTO THE TKOF. I ASKED THE CAPT; HE ASSURED WE HAD IT. TWR OF DEP CTLR MADE NO COMMENT TO US, SO I ASSUME THERE WAS NO PROB. UNFORTUNATELY, I FEEL THE FAA IS IN A PLT-HANGING MODE AND IT IS NECESSARY TO COVER YOURSELF AND TRUST NO ONE. I FEEL THE MAIN REASON FOR THIS CONFUSION WAS A CLASSIC PROB THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY THE FAA. THE CAPT HAD 5 MONTHS AS CAPT ON THIS ACFT (4 YRS TOTAL AS CAPT), I HAD 2 WKS AS F/O AND THE S/O WAS ON HIS IOE WITH AN INSTR S/O. I FEEL THAT THE INEXPERIENCE OF ALL OF US CAUSED MORE THAN NORMAL CONFUSION IN THE TAXI-OUT, TKOF PHASE. I FEEL THE FAA NEEDS TO RESTRICT NEW PLTS FROM BEING CREWED TOGETHER FOR THE FIRST FEW MONTHS ON THE LINE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.