Narrative:

After we landed we found our APU would not start. We kept the right engine running to give the ground crew time to find a gpu. After they hooked the gpu to the aircraft; we asked if they had an air cart for cooling and an air starter to start the engine should we shut it down. They said they had a bottle to start the engine but they had no air cart for cooling. We elected to keep the right engine running to keep the airplane cool while the crew was on board due to the excessive heat outside (+35 degrees C). We deferred the APU and the dispatcher filed a new release with new fuel numbers; a new passenger max; and new takeoff data. Meanwhile we were being interrupted by the ground crews wanting to know if we could take extra bags and the fueler asking us to shut down the engine because he did not want to hot fuel the aircraft. We alerted the fueler that we would shut down the engine only when we had completed our preflight tasks to keep the air conditioning on as long as possible. The fueler then alerted us he could hot fuel; he just preferred not to. We received our appropriate fuel; then boarded the aircraft without further interruption. After boarding; we sent our takeoff data via the ACARS and received numbers for a bleeds closed takeoff although our dispatchers information on the release called for a bleeds open takeoff. Since we had no way of changing the bleed configuration in the ACARS; we elected to do an unpressurized takeoff with the bleeds closed to match the data; so we reviewed the checklist for that. After all of this; we closed the door and we had to perform four different checklists at one time; since the right engine had never been shut down. We performed the 'before start'; 'engine start'; 'after start'; and 'taxi-start' checklists at the gate and got both engines running. After this; we set the flaps to 20 and began our movement when the marshalers began to wave us forward. Due to the close proximity of traffic entering the ramp; I had my eye glued to the right side of the aircraft to see and avoid any obstacles. By the time we had passed the traffic; I realized I had never contacted ground for a taxi clearance. We had just crossed the hold short line when ground control called and asked; 'are you going to talk to me?' the captain brought the aircraft to an immediate stop and we told him we were sorry and that we were ready to taxi. He gave us clearance to taxi to runway 9 and we continued the flight without incident.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Harried by heat and non-standard operations due to an inoperative APU; an air carrier flight crew of an unidentified aircraft type began to taxi without a clearance from ATC.

Narrative: After we landed we found our APU would not start. We kept the right engine running to give the ground crew time to find a GPU. After they hooked the GPU to the aircraft; we asked if they had an air cart for cooling and an air starter to start the engine should we shut it down. They said they had a bottle to start the engine but they had no air cart for cooling. We elected to keep the right engine running to keep the airplane cool while the crew was on board due to the excessive heat outside (+35 degrees C). We deferred the APU and the Dispatcher filed a new release with new fuel numbers; a new passenger max; and new takeoff data. Meanwhile we were being interrupted by the ground crews wanting to know if we could take extra bags and the fueler asking us to shut down the engine because he did not want to hot fuel the aircraft. We alerted the fueler that we would shut down the engine only when we had completed our preflight tasks to keep the air conditioning on as long as possible. The fueler then alerted us he could hot fuel; he just preferred not to. We received our appropriate fuel; then boarded the aircraft without further interruption. After boarding; we sent our takeoff data via the ACARS and received numbers for a bleeds closed takeoff although our Dispatchers information on the release called for a bleeds open takeoff. Since we had no way of changing the bleed configuration in the ACARS; we elected to do an unpressurized takeoff with the bleeds closed to match the data; so we reviewed the checklist for that. After all of this; we closed the door and we had to perform four different checklists at one time; since the right engine had never been shut down. We performed the 'before start'; 'engine start'; 'after start'; and 'taxi-start' checklists at the gate and got both engines running. After this; we set the flaps to 20 and began our movement when the marshalers began to wave us forward. Due to the close proximity of traffic entering the ramp; I had my eye glued to the right side of the aircraft to see and avoid any obstacles. By the time we had passed the traffic; I realized I had never contacted Ground for a taxi clearance. We had just crossed the hold short line when Ground Control called and asked; 'Are you going to talk to me?' The Captain brought the aircraft to an immediate stop and we told him we were sorry and that we were ready to taxi. He gave us clearance to taxi to Runway 9 and we continued the flight without incident.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.