B737-300 flight crew departing oma; receive pre departure clearance without an altitude clearance li...

Attributes
ACN	813386
Time
Date	200811
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : oma.airport
State Reference	NE
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : position and hold
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	813386
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : company policies
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Chart Or Publication Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Facility ATC Human Performance Airport
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

I picked up our pre departure clearance. The pre departure clearance has the route oma-lnv-ZZZ 'via CATTL1 departure.' no altitude is printed on oma pre departure clearance. The captain and I called for taxi instructions; and since we had not operated into or out of oma for over 3 yrs; we concentrated on the taxi route; multiple runway incursion hotspots and missing the closed txwys for construction. Since I had set the wrong climb to altitude and the pre departure clearance did not specify an altitude; when the tower controller cleared us to position and hold on runway 14R. Tower ignored the question to continue issuing clearance for 1 or 2 smaller aircraft without answering our clarification. I asked again to confirm the altitude clearance which resulted in 'stepped on' xmissions. Tower chastised the callers for blocking their xmissions; then cleared us for takeoff. I asked a third time to clarify the clearance limit altitude. The tower controller then ripped (verbally) into me for not asking clearance; ground control; or to check my pre departure clearance (which has no altitude like all other cities). It was the most unprofessional tirade I have ever heard on the radio in 15 yrs of flying. The captain and I were astonished at the tongue-lashing. Fortunately for us; another controller immediately replaced. Tower gave us a takeoff clearance; and verified the clearance limit altitude. As a resolution; please have oma clearance put 'maintenance' altitudes on the pre departure clearance. All other cities with pre departure clearance have an altitude.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-300 FLIGHT CREW DEPARTING OMA; RECEIVE PDC WITHOUT AN ALTITUDE CLEARANCE LIMIT. AFTER MULTIPLE CLEARANCE LIMIT REQUESTS TO THE TOWER; FIRST OFFICER IS MET WITH AN UNPROFESSIONAL RESPONSE.

Narrative: I PICKED UP OUR PDC. THE PDC HAS THE RTE OMA-LNV-ZZZ 'VIA CATTL1 DEP.' NO ALT IS PRINTED ON OMA PDC. THE CAPT AND I CALLED FOR TAXI INSTRUCTIONS; AND SINCE WE HAD NOT OPERATED INTO OR OUT OF OMA FOR OVER 3 YRS; WE CONCENTRATED ON THE TAXI RTE; MULTIPLE RWY INCURSION HOTSPOTS AND MISSING THE CLOSED TXWYS FOR CONSTRUCTION. SINCE I HAD SET THE WRONG CLB TO ALT AND THE PDC DID NOT SPECIFY AN ALT; WHEN THE TWR CTLR CLRED US TO POSITION AND HOLD ON RWY 14R. TWR IGNORED THE QUESTION TO CONTINUE ISSUING CLRNC FOR 1 OR 2 SMALLER ACFT WITHOUT ANSWERING OUR CLARIFICATION. I ASKED AGAIN TO CONFIRM THE ALT CLRNC WHICH RESULTED IN 'STEPPED ON' XMISSIONS. TWR CHASTISED THE CALLERS FOR BLOCKING THEIR XMISSIONS; THEN CLRED US FOR TKOF. I ASKED A THIRD TIME TO CLARIFY THE CLRNC LIMIT ALT. THE TWR CTLR THEN RIPPED (VERBALLY) INTO ME FOR NOT ASKING CLRNC; GND CTL; OR TO CHK MY PDC (WHICH HAS NO ALT LIKE ALL OTHER CITIES). IT WAS THE MOST UNPROFESSIONAL TIRADE I HAVE EVER HEARD ON THE RADIO IN 15 YRS OF FLYING. THE CAPT AND I WERE ASTONISHED AT THE TONGUE-LASHING. FORTUNATELY FOR US; ANOTHER CTLR IMMEDIATELY REPLACED. TWR GAVE US A TKOF CLRNC; AND VERIFIED THE CLRNC LIMIT ALT. AS A RESOLUTION; PLEASE HAVE OMA CLRNC PUT 'MAINT' ALTS ON THE PDC. ALL OTHER CITIES WITH PDC HAVE AN ALT.

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

B737-300 flight crew departing oma; receive pre departure clearance without an altitude clearance limit. After multiple clearance limit requests to the tower; first officer is met with an unprofessional response.