If the fix is within 8 miles or so, how about after flap/slat retraction pushing the throttles to climb instead of quiet EPR? At Chicago O'Hare (ORD), there is no way to always be sure about 3000' at 5 miles or 4000' at 8, so I tell the other pilot that quiet Epr is OUR choice-we are the pilots and are still expected to make these oft-forgotten restrictions and with reduced (5*) flaps or a tailwind, we will either forget the quiet EPR to 3,000' or tell Dep. Control "Dep, FrozenTundra 292 is ------------- 4,000" . "-Blocked----Say again...".
To heck with reduced climb power at times like that. We would probably have our transmission blocked anyway if we tried to warn ATC; US ATC operations are based, historically, on many corners being cut, in terms of readbacks and extra warnings or concerns at larger airports or enroute from the Great Lakes to the East Coast. The Captain makes whatever decisions he or she considers necessary-the book is a good guide, but no replacement for pilots. And we don't have "magic" nor autothrottles, just two hot, very busy pilots (even with operative APU air), two VORs
and an altitude hold .
