Flight Crew Last 90 Days 35; Flight Crew Type 135
Workload; Communication Breakdown; Distraction
ATC Issue All Types; Airspace Violation All Types; Conflict Airborne Conflict; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Returned To Clearance
Procedure; Human Factors
Arrived at airport; loading ramp slick. During preflight prep process; I was interrupted and had to call ops for more rock salt and ice for catering. Airplane had line maintenance night before; upon arrival; found water leaking from number 2 chiller drain line onto floor in aft galley. Captain dealt with that issue for a significant amount of time and subsequent new MEL application. Clearance obtained and monitored by both pilots and hold for release at the end of the clearance not read back for some reason. I wrote it down on the clearance paper; but cannot remember reading hold for release back; nor did the controller question it; and we pushed back after the reviewing briefing cards and completing appropriate checklists. We pushed and started engine one with a subsequent GEN 1 FAIL ECAM. We started both engines; ran the ECAM and then taxied. We arrived at the end of the runway; and took off after a landing Beech jet. We followed the ODP for runway 10 and were on a 140 heading when we received a TA ONLY for an inbound aircraft. We communicated with the [inbound] airplane and then realized upon checking with Denver center we had not obtained a call for release. Traffic was in sight and we were in communication with that aircraft. Denver center gave us a number to call when we landed in Houston. The captain had called Denver Center and the controller was pleasant and stated that their controller upon a tape review did not correct the hold for release readback terminology during the clearance and they would be filing a report as well for a potential OE.
Pilot is issued clearance and advised to hold for release. Crew gets aircraft airborne and realize they didn't call for release. Center advises they listened to tapes and the controller didn't catch that they didn't say hold for release.