Narrative:

The captain was hand flying the high-task departure out of mdw. We leveled off at 3000 ft at 180 KTS (green DOT speed; which is required through 3600 ft for mdw departures). We were very light; only 3 passenger. ATC issued a climb to 4000 ft which I dialed into the altitude window and then I inquired if he wanted me to select a vertical speed. I thought vertical speed a much better option due to the low airspeed; light weight; and short climb. His response was 'no; it's only 1000 ft so open climb.' which is climb power. I thought the plane would stand on its tail then have a harsh leveloff; except he didn't follow the flight director pitch commands and flew a much lower pitch than commanded. And at full climb power we accelerated like crazy. At 265 KTS he's dialing in a selected speed of 250 KTS which wasn't going to work and at 280 KTS he pulled the thrust levers back. I tried explaining why things did what they did later in the flight; but he does not have a complete understanding of airbus flight modes and couldn't grasp what I was saying. I was trying to be pro-active in the beginning by suggesting vertical speed mode; maybe I should have been more persistent. I can't; however; cover every deficiency in someone who is a prime example of the peter principle.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 CAPT COMMANDS INAPPROPRIATE AUTOFLT MODE ON DEP FROM MDW AND EXPERIENCES SPD DEV.

Narrative: THE CAPT WAS HAND FLYING THE HIGH-TASK DEP OUT OF MDW. WE LEVELED OFF AT 3000 FT AT 180 KTS (GREEN DOT SPD; WHICH IS REQUIRED THROUGH 3600 FT FOR MDW DEPS). WE WERE VERY LIGHT; ONLY 3 PAX. ATC ISSUED A CLB TO 4000 FT WHICH I DIALED INTO THE ALT WINDOW AND THEN I INQUIRED IF HE WANTED ME TO SELECT A VERT SPD. I THOUGHT VERT SPD A MUCH BETTER OPTION DUE TO THE LOW AIRSPD; LIGHT WT; AND SHORT CLB. HIS RESPONSE WAS 'NO; IT'S ONLY 1000 FT SO OPEN CLB.' WHICH IS CLB PWR. I THOUGHT THE PLANE WOULD STAND ON ITS TAIL THEN HAVE A HARSH LEVELOFF; EXCEPT HE DIDN'T FOLLOW THE FLT DIRECTOR PITCH COMMANDS AND FLEW A MUCH LOWER PITCH THAN COMMANDED. AND AT FULL CLB PWR WE ACCELERATED LIKE CRAZY. AT 265 KTS HE'S DIALING IN A SELECTED SPD OF 250 KTS WHICH WASN'T GOING TO WORK AND AT 280 KTS HE PULLED THE THRUST LEVERS BACK. I TRIED EXPLAINING WHY THINGS DID WHAT THEY DID LATER IN THE FLT; BUT HE DOES NOT HAVE A COMPLETE UNDERSTANDING OF AIRBUS FLT MODES AND COULDN'T GRASP WHAT I WAS SAYING. I WAS TRYING TO BE PRO-ACTIVE IN THE BEGINNING BY SUGGESTING VERT SPD MODE; MAYBE I SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE PERSISTENT. I CAN'T; HOWEVER; COVER EVERY DEFICIENCY IN SOMEONE WHO IS A PRIME EXAMPLE OF THE PETER PRINCIPLE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.