B737-300
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Training / Qualification; Time Pressure; Confusion; Situational Awareness; Communication Breakdown
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Flight Crew Took Evasive Action; Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Procedure; Human Factors; Company Policy; Aircraft
After Tower cleared us to line up and wait; we cleared final for traffic and confirmed that we were on the right runway. The First Officer; trying to be proactive; entered the Departure frequency into the radio. However; he entered it in the active radio frequency line. This is probably due to the different types of radio panels on Company aircraft and our acquired aircraft. I failed to catch this; and after sitting on the runway in the takeoff position for a period of time; I questioned why Tower hadn't cleared us for takeoff. After looking down at the radio panel; we both realized we were on the wrong frequency. The First Officer immediately put in Tower frequency. At this time; Tower cleared us for immediate takeoff on the Tower frequency and guard frequency. We acknowledged the immediate takeoff clearance and commenced the takeoff roll. It was the first day of IOE and my First Officer was doing a great job. This was an honest mistake by a First Officer trying to do his job correctly. I take full responsibility for not double checking that the correct frequency was loaded. The comm panels in the acquired aircraft are different than most Company aircraft. I see this problem frequently with newly transition pilots. I think that Company needs to standardize the comm panels in the fleet or spend significant time training the difference in the comm panels in class and in the simulator.
After cleared to line up and wait by Tower; I repeated the line up and wait clearance back to Tower on the correct frequency in use. As the Captain made the left turn onto the numbers on Runway 34; I checked that final was clear on my side of the aircraft. Since it was my leg to fly; the Captain requested that I join him on the brakes as we stopped on the numbers awaiting takeoff clearance. I realized that I had not yet put the Departure frequency in the standby window for the Captain on the VHF 1 radio. I reached down and dialed the Departure frequency into the frequency window located on the right side on the VHF 1 radio not realizing that I just dialed out the active Tower frequency.
A B737 instructor and his IOE First Officer were cleared to line up and wait at which time the new First Officer inadvertently entered the Departure Control frequency in the active VHF 1 window. This aircraft's COMM panel was different from other aircraft and when the crew finally realized their error Tower issued an immediate takeoff clearance.