Narrative:

My aircraft was parked next to the terminal and another aircraft was parked to the left of me. I completed the load manifest and handed it out my window to the station agent working the flight. The station agent signaled the right was clear. I initiated start on the right engine. As I was starting the right engine, the station agent moved to my left and positioned himself between my aircraft and the aircraft next to me. He signaled the aircraft next to me that their right engine was clear and they started their right engine. He then signaled my left engine was clear, and we started our left engine. Although I (and the other crew) could see the station agent at all times, I would like to see 1 agent per airplane (not 1 agent working 2 airplanes). Our ramp can become very crowded with planes and passenger and I think safety could be greatly improved with 1 agent (or more) per airplane.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B190 CREW WAS SIGNALED TO START ENGS BY STATION AGENT THAT WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR 2 ACFT.

Narrative: MY ACFT WAS PARKED NEXT TO THE TERMINAL AND ANOTHER ACFT WAS PARKED TO THE L OF ME. I COMPLETED THE LOAD MANIFEST AND HANDED IT OUT MY WINDOW TO THE STATION AGENT WORKING THE FLT. THE STATION AGENT SIGNALED THE R WAS CLR. I INITIATED START ON THE R ENG. AS I WAS STARTING THE R ENG, THE STATION AGENT MOVED TO MY L AND POSITIONED HIMSELF BTWN MY ACFT AND THE ACFT NEXT TO ME. HE SIGNALED THE ACFT NEXT TO ME THAT THEIR R ENG WAS CLR AND THEY STARTED THEIR R ENG. HE THEN SIGNALED MY L ENG WAS CLR, AND WE STARTED OUR L ENG. ALTHOUGH I (AND THE OTHER CREW) COULD SEE THE STATION AGENT AT ALL TIMES, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE 1 AGENT PER AIRPLANE (NOT 1 AGENT WORKING 2 AIRPLANES). OUR RAMP CAN BECOME VERY CROWDED WITH PLANES AND PAX AND I THINK SAFETY COULD BE GREATLY IMPROVED WITH 1 AGENT (OR MORE) PER AIRPLANE.

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.