ASRS report 726891

Narrative

WHEN CLRED FOR TKOF; TWR CHANGED OUR ALT TO 3000 FT. WHEN CLRED TO DEP; I NOTICED THE GND FREQ WAS STILL SET. I ASKED AND GOT THE CORRECT FREQ FROM THE FO. I CHKED IN WITH DEP AND TRIED TO MONITOR THE ALT SINCE 3000 FT WAS ONLY 2000 FT AGL; AND THE AUTOPLT WAS NOT YET ENGAGED. BY THE TIME I REALIZED WE HADN'T TURNED TOWARD PDZ VOR AS THE SID DIRECTED; I ASKED THE FO; 'SHOULD WE BE TURNING?' AND HE SAID HE THOUGHT WE WERE ON RWY HDG. I ASKED THE CTLR AND HE SAID NO WE NEEDED TO MAKE AN IMMEDIATE TURN TOWARD PDZ. HE HAD GIVEN US 7000 FT WHEN WE CHKED IN; BUT THEN TOLD US TO LEVEL OFF AT 3000 FT UNTIL WE WERE INBOUND TO PDZ AND THEN HE CLRED US TO RESUME CLB. I DON'T KNOW IF THERE WAS ANY CONFLICT; BUT THE CHANGE FROM 7000 FT TO 3000 FT SEEMED TO INDICATE THERE COULD HAVE BEEN. THE CTLR NEVER SAID ANYTHING FURTHER; AND WE CONTINUED ON. LATER; THE FO SAID HE WAS RELYING ON THE FMC AND THOUGHT IT CALLED FOR RWY HDG. HE LATER CHKED AND REALIZED HE WAS MISTAKEN. THE FAULT LIES PRIMARILY WITH ME FOR NOT CATCHING THE FAILURE TO TURN. (AS A SIDELIGHT; IT HAD BEEN A LONG WHILE SINCE I HAD FLOWN THIS PARTICULAR DEP; BUT I HAVE BEEN VERY FAMILIAR WITH IT IN THE PAST.) THE DISTR OF TRYING TO GET THE RIGHT FREQ DIALED IN; AND MAKING SURE WE LEVELED AT THE NEW ALT CAUSED ME TO MISS IT. I HAVE TO SAY AT THIS POINT; THAT THE FO'S RELIANCE ON THE FMC IS A TREND I AM SEEING. I BELIEVE WE ARE LOSING SITUATIONAL AWARENESS BECAUSE OF OVERWHELMING PREOCCUPATION WITH THE CDU. I FLY WITH FO'S WHO CANNOT TURN THE AIRPLANE WITHOUT FIRST GOING HEAD DOWN TO PUNCH THE BUTTONS ON THE CDU. I REALIZE WE ARE HEADED FOR COMPLETE AUTOMATION; BUT UNTIL THEY REPLACE US WITH ROBOTS; I THINK WE SHOULD PUT SOME EMPHASIS ON PLT SKILLS; AND A LITTLE LESS ON BEING TECHNOLOGY MGRS (MY 2 CENTS WORTH). MORE THOROUGH BRIEFING.