GLF-4 CAPT HAD THE FLYING FO LEVEL THE ACFT AT 3000 FT WITH A MODIFIED NOISE ABATEMENT PROC. THERE WAS HIGH TERRAIN IN THE ACFT FLT PATH THAT WAS AT 3747 FT HIGH.

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FLT PLANNED FOR EARLY EVENING DEP FROM VNY. VFR CONDITIONS PREVAILED WITH STRONG NORTHERLY GUSTY SURFACE WINDS EXCEEDING 25 KTS. NOISE SENSITIVE ARPT; COMPANY 'RECOMMENDS' APPROPRIATE NOISE LIMITING PROCS. THE FO WAS ASSIGNED AS PF FOR THIS LEG. THE TKOF BRIEFING WAS TYPICAL; WITH ADDED DISCUSSION ABOUT MODIFYING THE NOISE ABATEMENT PROFILE FOR SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS GIVEN HIGH TERRAIN ALONG THE SID DEP RTE AND TURB/WINDSHEAR POTENTIAL. WE AGREED A HIGHER AIRSPD/PWR CLB SETTING WAS APPROPRIATE CONSEQUENTLY; AND BRIEFED THE DESIRED FLT GUIDANCE SELECTIONS. OUR INITIAL CLRNC WAS A CLBING 90 DEG L TURN TO 4000 FT AGL. UPON CONTACTING DEP CTL; THE CTLR ISSUED A NORTHERLY HDG FOR SID VECTOR; AND FURTHER CLB TO 13000 FT AGL. HE ADDED A CAUTION ABOUT THE TERRAIN CLRNC; AT WHICH POINT I OBSERVED THE PF LEVELING THE ACFT AT 3000 FT AGL! I REMINDED THE PF OF THE NEED TO CLB RAPIDLY; BUT AGAIN OBSERVED SOME HESITATION AS THE CTLR WARNED ABOUT THE TERRAIN A SECOND TIME. I RESPONDED THAT WE COULD MAINTAIN VISUAL TERRAIN CLRNC AS THE PF FINALLY RECOMMENCED THE CLB PROFILE. WHEN TIME PERMITTED; THE FO AND I DISCUSSED THE EVENT. HE ADMITTED THE MODIFIED PROC TEMPORARILY CONFUSED HIS VERT AWARENESS; AND RELIED TOO HEAVILY ON THE AUTOMATION FOR GUIDANCE. I SUGGESTED A REMEDIAL PROC IN THE EVENT TO REVERT TO A LOWER LEVEL OF AUTOMATION OR RAW DATA AS NECESSARY TO COMPLY WITH APPROPRIATE CLRNCS/PROFILES.