AN ACR MLG FLC FAILS TO INSURE THAT THEIR PDC WAS RECEIVED FOR THE UPCOMING LEG. THEY DEPART WITHOUT AN IFR CLRNC. PIC RPTR CITES DISTR DURING RAMP MAINT PROCS.

Narrative

IN THE PREFLT PERIOD THE CREW CALLED FOR THE PDC ON THE ACFT'S ACARS RADIO AND WAS NOT SURE IF THEY HAD EVER RECEIVED THE CLRNC TO FLY INTO CTLED AIRSPACE. THE FIRST INDICATION OF A PROB OCCURRED AFTER TKOF. DEP CTL ASKED THE CREW TO SQUAWK A PARTICULAR CODE; WHICH WE WERE NOT PRESENTLY SQUAWKING. LOOKING AT THE MESSAGES ON THE ACARS; THE PDC MESSAGE MAY HAVE DROPPED OFF THE PAGE; DUE TO THE NUMEROUS MESSAGES THAT WERE REQUESTED AND RECEIVED. IN THE PREFLT; MAINT WAS CONDUCTING NUMEROUS JOBS IN THE COCKPIT. THE CONCLUSION OF ALL THIS MAINT WORK RESULTED IN 2 MEL'S HAVING BEEN REMOVED AND LEAVING 2 MEL'S (1 NEW AND 1 OLD) ON THE ACFT. THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL START PERFORMED AT THE GATE; DUE TO THE APU ON MEL. KNOWING THE ROUTING; FLT PLAN THAT WAS FILED; AND HAVING FLOWN THIS PARTICULAR FLT NUMEROUS TIMES; I THOUGHT THE FO HAD RECEIVED THE PDC. THE FO COULD NOT REMEMBER DUE TO THE WORKLOAD AT THE GATE. INTERESTING NOTE: AT NO TIME DID GND CTL OR TWR EVER QUESTION IF WE HAD A CLRNC OR FLT PLAN. ALL CHKLISTS WERE PERFORMED; DEP REVIEW AND TKOF BRIEFING WERE GIVEN; BUT WERE NEVER CHALLENGED BY THE FO AGAINST THE PDC.