Narrative:

As a training and check airman, I have been involved in several meetings where increased low visibility taxi training was discussed. This has included simulator scenarios in loft sessions as well as basic low visibility taxi guidelines. This early morning departure from bna brought a few more factors into sharp focus: 1) requirement for standard taxi in/out markings on inner ramp with transitions to outer ramp with painted 'inbound' and 'outbound' directional markings and gate identifiers and taxi 'hold point' identifiers in paint! 2) if this crew had not been very familiar with the ramp confign and taxi line markings/exit point location, taxi out would have been very difficult, if not impossible, to safely accomplish even at slow speeds. 3) basic low visibility training should include use/briefing of tug and wing walkers as to speed and direction of pushback. This should also include the use of aircraft heading xchks during the pushback as distrs occur (i.e., engine start, checklist use, etc) so that disorientation does not occur. 4) the most critical phase of operation is obviously a runway crossing, but pushback and initial ramp taxi out orientation is a close second!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOW VISIBILITY FOR TAXI. RPTR CREDITS NO INCIDENT THAT NIGHT ON DISCUSSIONS AND TRAINING FOR LOW VISIBILITY TAXI AT ARPTS WITH INADEQUATE TAXIWAY AND RWY MARKINGS.

Narrative: AS A TRAINING AND CHK AIRMAN, I HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN SEVERAL MEETINGS WHERE INCREASED LOW VISIBILITY TAXI TRAINING WAS DISCUSSED. THIS HAS INCLUDED SIMULATOR SCENARIOS IN LOFT SESSIONS AS WELL AS BASIC LOW VISIBILITY TAXI GUIDELINES. THIS EARLY MORNING DEP FROM BNA BROUGHT A FEW MORE FACTORS INTO SHARP FOCUS: 1) REQUIREMENT FOR STANDARD TAXI IN/OUT MARKINGS ON INNER RAMP WITH TRANSITIONS TO OUTER RAMP WITH PAINTED 'INBOUND' AND 'OUTBOUND' DIRECTIONAL MARKINGS AND GATE IDENTIFIERS AND TAXI 'HOLD POINT' IDENTIFIERS IN PAINT! 2) IF THIS CREW HAD NOT BEEN VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE RAMP CONFIGN AND TAXI LINE MARKINGS/EXIT POINT LOCATION, TAXI OUT WOULD HAVE BEEN VERY DIFFICULT, IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE, TO SAFELY ACCOMPLISH EVEN AT SLOW SPDS. 3) BASIC LOW VISIBILITY TRAINING SHOULD INCLUDE USE/BRIEFING OF TUG AND WING WALKERS AS TO SPD AND DIRECTION OF PUSHBACK. THIS SHOULD ALSO INCLUDE THE USE OF ACFT HDG XCHKS DURING THE PUSHBACK AS DISTRS OCCUR (I.E., ENG START, CHKLIST USE, ETC) SO THAT DISORIENTATION DOES NOT OCCUR. 4) THE MOST CRITICAL PHASE OF OP IS OBVIOUSLY A RWY XING, BUT PUSHBACK AND INITIAL RAMP TAXI OUT ORIENTATION IS A CLOSE SECOND!

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 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.