UNAUTH TKOF AFTER TAXI OUT AT ESN; AN HS25A FLT CREW FAILS TO HEAR; 'HOLD FOR RELEASE;' WHEN GETTING THEIR IFR CLRNC FROM CTLR AT PCT.

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MY CAPT AND I WERE TAXIING OUT FOR DEP AT EASTON ARPT; MARYLAND (ESN). I OCCUPIED THE L SEAT; AND WAS THE PF FOR THE LEG. THE CAPT MADE THE RADIO CALLS. ESN IS AN UNCTLED FIELD; AND WE DISCUSSED WAITING TO GET THE CLRNC UNTIL NEARING TKOF. APCHING #1; WE CALLED THE LISTED FREQ FOR (BALTIMORE) CLRNC; AND RECEIVED OUR CLRNC. I NOTICED THAT THE CTLR HAD NOT GIVEN US A VOID TIME; BUT DID NOT QUESTION IT; SINCE WE HAD CALLED READY TO GO. AFTER TKOF; A CTLR ASKED IF WE HAD TAKEN OFF VFR. WE STATED THAT WE HAD NOT. A COUPLE OF MINS LATER; WE WERE GIVEN A PHONE NUMBER TO SPEAK TO A SUPVR. LATER; THE SUPVR TOLD MY CAPT THAT THE TAPES DID SHOW THE CTLR SAID 'HOLD FOR RELEASE.' THE CONDITIONS WERE VFR; AND I DID NOTE ORIGINALLY THAT I FELT THE CTLR WAS RATHER UNPROFESSIONAL FOR NOT PROVIDING A 'VOID TIME.' HOWEVER; IT IS OBVIOUSLY POSSIBLE THAT I SHOULD HAVE FORCEFULLY QUESTIONED THE LACK OF A VOID TIME; OR ASSUMED THAT THE CTLR MIGHT HAVE ACTED CORRECTLY; AND I SIMPLY DID NOT HEAR IT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 618957: I WAS LATER INFORMED OUR CLRNC SAID 'HOLD FOR RELEASE.' I NEVER REMEMBERED COPYING THAT DOWN; NOR DO I REMEMBER READING IT BACK. IT HAD BEEN A LONG DAY; AND A LONG 7 DAYS STRAIGHT ON DUTY. PERHAPS I WAS JUST TIRED.