Predep clearance (pre departure clearance) complaint.

Attributes
ACN	232456
Time
Date	199301
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : clt
State Reference	NC
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	232456
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	232184
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On takeoff, first officer reported that he was unsure as to whether he had received the ATC clearance from clearance delivery via voice or ACARS (pre departure clearance). I verified that we did have an IFR clearance and the remainder of the flight was uneventful. Complacency on the part of both crew members was at fault. There is not backup to the pre departure clearance system. If a pilot forgets to get his clearance ATC has no computer or manual system to back him up. You can, and probably will takeoff without a squawk or the rest of your 'canned' flight plan. Under the old manual system, ATC would have picked up our error.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PREDEP CLRNC (PDC) COMPLAINT.

Narrative: ON TKOF, FO RPTED THAT HE WAS UNSURE AS TO WHETHER HE HAD RECEIVED THE ATC CLRNC FROM CLRNC DELIVERY VIA VOICE OR ACARS (PDC). I VERIFIED THAT WE DID HAVE AN IFR CLRNC AND THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL. COMPLACENCY ON THE PART OF BOTH CREW MEMBERS WAS AT FAULT. THERE IS NOT BACKUP TO THE PDC SYS. IF A PLT FORGETS TO GET HIS CLRNC ATC HAS NO COMPUTER OR MANUAL SYS TO BACK HIM UP. YOU CAN, AND PROBABLY WILL TKOF WITHOUT A SQUAWK OR THE REST OF YOUR 'CANNED' FLT PLAN. UNDER THE OLD MANUAL SYS, ATC WOULD HAVE PICKED UP OUR ERROR.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.