Narrative:

I was controller in charge in the tower. Ground control has training in progress. Ground control trainer instructs the developmental to allow pushes or instruct aircraft to hold push in an ATC non-movement/non-visibility area. Additionally the LOA specifically calls the airline ramp a non-movement. How can we instruct aircraft they can push or not push and we can't even see the back ramp?! It's blocked by the terminal! It's absolutely ridiculous. No one is following that LOA. I've filed multiple reports that the ramp is listed as a non-movement area on the AFD; the back ramp isn't listed as a non-visibility area on the AFD and yet there are signs above every gate to 'call ground prior to push back.' the trainer knows exactly that the LOA says it's a non-movement area and disregards that to his trainee. Management knows people are willfully ignoring this rule and not addressing it. The facility management knows the LOA and refuses to speak with the airport to have the signs above the gates removed [reporting agency] knows of this issue because I've filed several reports on it. Either the LOA needs to be changed that we do provide positive control in which case we need a camera in the back ramp to see; or the airport needs to take down the signs over the gates; fix the AFD; and inform airlines and instruct our ojti's not to control the ramp! It's a liability to the controller and the FAA if an airplane hits something or someone because we approved their push.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AUS Tower CIC reports of an ongoing issue related to pilots calling for pushback clearance in a non-movement area. Signs at each gate advise pilots to call ground prior to pushback.

Narrative: I was CIC in the Tower. Ground Control has training in progress. Ground Control Trainer instructs the Developmental to allow pushes or instruct aircraft to hold push in an ATC non-movement/non-visibility area. Additionally the LOA specifically calls the airline ramp a non-movement. How can we instruct aircraft they can push or not push and we can't even see the back ramp?! It's blocked by the terminal! It's absolutely ridiculous. NO one is following that LOA. I've filed multiple reports that the ramp is listed as a non-movement area on the AFD; the back ramp isn't listed as a non-visibility area on the AFD and yet there are signs above every gate to 'Call ground prior to push back.' The Trainer knows exactly that the LOA says it's a non-movement area and disregards that to his trainee. Management knows people are willfully ignoring this rule and not addressing it. The Facility Management knows the LOA and refuses to speak with the airport to have the signs above the gates removed [reporting agency] knows of this issue because I've filed several reports on it. Either the LOA needs to be changed that we do provide positive control in which case we need a camera in the back ramp to see; or the airport needs to take down the signs over the gates; fix the AFD; and inform airlines and instruct our OJTI's not to control the ramp! It's a liability to the controller and the FAA if an airplane hits something or someone because we approved their push.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.