Regional Jet CL65; Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Communication Breakdown; Distraction; Human-Machine Interface
ATC Issue All Types; Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Flight Crew Overcame Equipment Problem; General Maintenance Action
Aircraft; Human Factors; Procedure
After takeoff and climbing though approximately 3;000 feet the departure controller repeatedly told us to accelerate to 250 kts because of traffic behind us. We were doing the best we could as we were full; had a good load of fuel and engine and wing ice protection was on; so the aircraft was not accelerating to 250 kts as quickly as she would have liked. The first officer was in the middle of doing the after takeoff checks when she interrupted; and when he tried to reply she didn't answer and he called her back 2 or three times until she responded to tell her we were complying. Our climb to cruise was uninterrupted. When I went to finally set cruise power I realized it was still in the takeoff setting. Upon [landing] I told the maintenance controller the power levers had been left in the takeoff detent and ice protection was on (not a flex takeoff) and he advised it would be alright as FADEC (Full-Authority Digital Electronic Control) monitors all that and if there were any exceedances they would know of it; he asked if there were any status messages and I said no as there weren't and he advised me that we were OK and good to go. I also went to the exceedance history on the MDC and there were none for that day.I have been flying the [CRJ]200 a lot lately as we now no longer stay in one airplane and I obviously didn't pull the power back when I called for ' flaps up after takeoff checks' the first officer; who is very senior and an excellent pilot; missed the thrust setting on the checklist as this was when the controller interrupted us with what I regard as completely unnecessary instructions- simply put we were accelerating as fast as we could- they just let the aircraft behind us take off too soon after our departure. It's very common when pilots have been flying the [CRJ]200 and then get into the [CRJ]700/900 they forget to pull the power back to climb but it's usually caught on performing the after takeoff checklist. Perhaps the company may want to revisit the new policy of creating monthly schedules combining the [CRJ]200 with the [CRJ]700/900.
As they climbed through icing conditions in a heavy CRJ shortly after takeoff; the Departure Controller several times repeated a request that they accelerate more quickly to 250 knots due to faster traffic behind them. In part because of the resulting disruption of normal SOP they discovered some time later that the power had never been reduced following takeoff and had been operating at or near takeoff thrust since the start of the takeoff roll.  Rules at the air carrier reportedly allow pilots to cross qualify on CRJ models with and without autothrottle/VNAV capability; and was cited as a contributing factor as the SOPs for accomplishing routine tasks vary between the various types.