Narrative:

This event took place on leg 2 of a 3 leg, 1 day trip pairing. I have flown with the captain before and had always enjoyed working with him, he has a great sense of humor, maybe too great! We had a little trouble getting out of phl due to WX. Shortly after turning out of traffic we received a holding clearance. We never did get it (the holding fix) loaded into the FMC and both of us were a little unsure of our positioning. We joked about it later. I don't really know why or how I forgot to obtain our pre departure clearance clearance prior to departing mco. It is interesting that twice on our checklist we check transponder and brief departure, and neither one of us bothered to check the ACARS to reference the pre departure clearance. The captain assumed I had received the clearance. He did not reference the ACARS to check pre departure clearance for himself. I normally leave the pre departure clearance displayed on ACARS so that we both can reference the pre departure clearance. Somehow we both forgot or got distraction. We had a jumpseat rider. However, that is secondary to this event. Shortly after takeoff, it became obvious we had the wrong transponder code (the old one) and wrong departure frequency. The captain asked me if I had gotten a clearance. I replied that I thought so. Realizing that I had not requested or received the pre departure clearance, I told him to request one via ACARS. He did and we received our clearance immediately without further incident. We remained VFR throughout the event. As I mentioned earlier, I have always enjoyed working with this guy, perhaps I was too relaxed because he is a fun guy to work with. Anyway, it is interesting to note that he made no attempt either to check my work or back me up. I don't think our relationship will be the same as a result of this event. I guess based on our recent performance that's probably the way it should be anyway. Up to now, I have never 'zeroed out the transponder' after each leg upon completion of the after landing checklist. Rest assured that now has become a standard practice for me so that I can visually see 'no code' when I am performing my checks and running a checklist. I am surprised our carrier or alpa has not already recommended this practice. Maybe they have, and I just missed it.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF B757-200 FAILS TO OBTAIN THEIR PDC PRIOR TO DEP. NO PDC.

Narrative: THIS EVENT TOOK PLACE ON LEG 2 OF A 3 LEG, 1 DAY TRIP PAIRING. I HAVE FLOWN WITH THE CAPT BEFORE AND HAD ALWAYS ENJOYED WORKING WITH HIM, HE HAS A GREAT SENSE OF HUMOR, MAYBE TOO GREAT! WE HAD A LITTLE TROUBLE GETTING OUT OF PHL DUE TO WX. SHORTLY AFTER TURNING OUT OF TFC WE RECEIVED A HOLDING CLRNC. WE NEVER DID GET IT (THE HOLDING FIX) LOADED INTO THE FMC AND BOTH OF US WERE A LITTLE UNSURE OF OUR POSITIONING. WE JOKED ABOUT IT LATER. I DON'T REALLY KNOW WHY OR HOW I FORGOT TO OBTAIN OUR PDC CLRNC PRIOR TO DEPARTING MCO. IT IS INTERESTING THAT TWICE ON OUR CHKLIST WE CHK XPONDER AND BRIEF DEP, AND NEITHER ONE OF US BOTHERED TO CHK THE ACARS TO REF THE PDC. THE CAPT ASSUMED I HAD RECEIVED THE CLRNC. HE DID NOT REF THE ACARS TO CHK PDC FOR HIMSELF. I NORMALLY LEAVE THE PDC DISPLAYED ON ACARS SO THAT WE BOTH CAN REF THE PDC. SOMEHOW WE BOTH FORGOT OR GOT DISTR. WE HAD A JUMPSEAT RIDER. HOWEVER, THAT IS SECONDARY TO THIS EVENT. SHORTLY AFTER TKOF, IT BECAME OBVIOUS WE HAD THE WRONG XPONDER CODE (THE OLD ONE) AND WRONG DEP FREQ. THE CAPT ASKED ME IF I HAD GOTTEN A CLRNC. I REPLIED THAT I THOUGHT SO. REALIZING THAT I HAD NOT REQUESTED OR RECEIVED THE PDC, I TOLD HIM TO REQUEST ONE VIA ACARS. HE DID AND WE RECEIVED OUR CLRNC IMMEDIATELY WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. WE REMAINED VFR THROUGHOUT THE EVENT. AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, I HAVE ALWAYS ENJOYED WORKING WITH THIS GUY, PERHAPS I WAS TOO RELAXED BECAUSE HE IS A FUN GUY TO WORK WITH. ANYWAY, IT IS INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT HE MADE NO ATTEMPT EITHER TO CHK MY WORK OR BACK ME UP. I DON'T THINK OUR RELATIONSHIP WILL BE THE SAME AS A RESULT OF THIS EVENT. I GUESS BASED ON OUR RECENT PERFORMANCE THAT'S PROBABLY THE WAY IT SHOULD BE ANYWAY. UP TO NOW, I HAVE NEVER 'ZEROED OUT THE XPONDER' AFTER EACH LEG UPON COMPLETION OF THE AFTER LNDG CHKLIST. REST ASSURED THAT NOW HAS BECOME A STANDARD PRACTICE FOR ME SO THAT I CAN VISUALLY SEE 'NO CODE' WHEN I AM PERFORMING MY CHKS AND RUNNING A CHKLIST. I AM SURPRISED OUR CARRIER OR ALPA HAS NOT ALREADY RECOMMENDED THIS PRACTICE. MAYBE THEY HAVE, AND I JUST MISSED IT.

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.