Narrative:

It was my first day back on my usual glass cockpit airplane after more than 2 weeks away. (I was called up by my employer to fly a trip on a B-747 my company believes in dual qualification.) I was getting my sea legs back in the A-320 by flying my trip from msp to mia, then mia to dtw. On the way north, we were at 37000 ft and the controller issued us a clearance to 33000 ft. The copilot, who was the PF, dialed it in on the FCU, but neglected to pull the knob to initiate the altitude change. I missed this mistake because I was used to 'steam gauges' because of my recent forced assignment to the B-747, and was not yet sharp as I usually am on 'glass.' the controller asked us later why we hadn't started down, and sounded peeved. The first officer was embarrassed he hadn't pulled the knob, and I was embarrassed I hadn't caught it. We started down, with apologies to ATC. Here's my point: I don't know why the first officer didn't pull the knob, but I do know why I didn't catch it. I am 'dual qualified' and am working hard to do an average job on 2 airplanes, instead of doing a great job on 1! Dual qualification should not be allowed. At the very least, if it must be allowed for dire economic reasons at an airline, then it should only be allowed between 2 glass airplanes, or 2 steam gauge airplanes, but never between 1 steam and 1 glass! My 2 dual qualification aircraft are an airbus A-320 and a B-747, and you can't get more different than that! Not good!

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: THE FLC FAILED TO DSND IN ACCORDANCE WITH ATC CLRNC.

Narrative: IT WAS MY FIRST DAY BACK ON MY USUAL GLASS COCKPIT AIRPLANE AFTER MORE THAN 2 WKS AWAY. (I WAS CALLED UP BY MY EMPLOYER TO FLY A TRIP ON A B-747 MY COMPANY BELIEVES IN DUAL QUALIFICATION.) I WAS GETTING MY SEA LEGS BACK IN THE A-320 BY FLYING MY TRIP FROM MSP TO MIA, THEN MIA TO DTW. ON THE WAY N, WE WERE AT 37000 FT AND THE CTLR ISSUED US A CLRNC TO 33000 FT. THE COPLT, WHO WAS THE PF, DIALED IT IN ON THE FCU, BUT NEGLECTED TO PULL THE KNOB TO INITIATE THE ALT CHANGE. I MISSED THIS MISTAKE BECAUSE I WAS USED TO 'STEAM GAUGES' BECAUSE OF MY RECENT FORCED ASSIGNMENT TO THE B-747, AND WAS NOT YET SHARP AS I USUALLY AM ON 'GLASS.' THE CTLR ASKED US LATER WHY WE HADN'T STARTED DOWN, AND SOUNDED PEEVED. THE FO WAS EMBARRASSED HE HADN'T PULLED THE KNOB, AND I WAS EMBARRASSED I HADN'T CAUGHT IT. WE STARTED DOWN, WITH APOLOGIES TO ATC. HERE'S MY POINT: I DON'T KNOW WHY THE FO DIDN'T PULL THE KNOB, BUT I DO KNOW WHY I DIDN'T CATCH IT. I AM 'DUAL QUALIFIED' AND AM WORKING HARD TO DO AN AVERAGE JOB ON 2 AIRPLANES, INSTEAD OF DOING A GREAT JOB ON 1! DUAL QUALIFICATION SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED. AT THE VERY LEAST, IF IT MUST BE ALLOWED FOR DIRE ECONOMIC REASONS AT AN AIRLINE, THEN IT SHOULD ONLY BE ALLOWED BTWN 2 GLASS AIRPLANES, OR 2 STEAM GAUGE AIRPLANES, BUT NEVER BTWN 1 STEAM AND 1 GLASS! MY 2 DUAL QUALIFICATION ACFT ARE AN AIRBUS A-320 AND A B-747, AND YOU CAN'T GET MORE DIFFERENT THAN THAT! NOT GOOD!

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.