Narrative:

Aircraft was level at FL290 when the controller asked if we could climb to FL330 in 2 mins. The first officer (PF) and myself agreed we could meet that restr and were given a clearance to climb. The first officer selected 'best rate' of climb on the FMC climb page. The aircraft was climbing at a rate more than ample to meet the restr. At approximately FL320 the first officer selected the vertical speed mode on the mode control panel and selected a higher speed, thus slowing the climb rate. We were now going to be close on the restr but I thought he would insure it would be met. The first officer seemed to be 'lost' in the FMC technology at this point and I finally told him to select the 'level change' mode in an attempt to meet the restr. We ended up leveling off 15-20 seconds late and I believe no conflict occurred. Problem: first officer not knowing or using the technology to its fullest. PIC not being assertive enough with the first officer to make sure the restr was made. Solution: PIC not as trusting and more assertive. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that he was operating a B737-300 during this incident. He believed that the first officer discovered the errors of his ways after being a few seconds later arriving at the newly assigned altitude. The first officer expressed his embarrassment over his untimely performance. He further stated that the ATC controller did not say anything about the slightly late arrival.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FO OF AN MLG FAILED TO MAKE AN ALT XING RESTR ON TIME. CAPT DISAPPOINTED.

Narrative: ACFT WAS LEVEL AT FL290 WHEN THE CTLR ASKED IF WE COULD CLB TO FL330 IN 2 MINS. THE FO (PF) AND MYSELF AGREED WE COULD MEET THAT RESTR AND WERE GIVEN A CLRNC TO CLB. THE FO SELECTED 'BEST RATE' OF CLB ON THE FMC CLB PAGE. THE ACFT WAS CLBING AT A RATE MORE THAN AMPLE TO MEET THE RESTR. AT APPROX FL320 THE FO SELECTED THE VERT SPD MODE ON THE MODE CTL PANEL AND SELECTED A HIGHER SPD, THUS SLOWING THE CLB RATE. WE WERE NOW GOING TO BE CLOSE ON THE RESTR BUT I THOUGHT HE WOULD INSURE IT WOULD BE MET. THE FO SEEMED TO BE 'LOST' IN THE FMC TECHNOLOGY AT THIS POINT AND I FINALLY TOLD HIM TO SELECT THE 'LEVEL CHANGE' MODE IN AN ATTEMPT TO MEET THE RESTR. WE ENDED UP LEVELING OFF 15-20 SECONDS LATE AND I BELIEVE NO CONFLICT OCCURRED. PROB: FO NOT KNOWING OR USING THE TECHNOLOGY TO ITS FULLEST. PIC NOT BEING ASSERTIVE ENOUGH WITH THE FO TO MAKE SURE THE RESTR WAS MADE. SOLUTION: PIC NOT AS TRUSTING AND MORE ASSERTIVE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT HE WAS OPERATING A B737-300 DURING THIS INCIDENT. HE BELIEVED THAT THE FO DISCOVERED THE ERRORS OF HIS WAYS AFTER BEING A FEW SECONDS LATER ARRIVING AT THE NEWLY ASSIGNED ALT. THE FO EXPRESSED HIS EMBARRASSMENT OVER HIS UNTIMELY PERFORMANCE. HE FURTHER STATED THAT THE ATC CTLR DID NOT SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THE SLIGHTLY LATE ARR.

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.