An A320 PIC stops outside of his gate area when having to call operations for the second marshaller ...

Attributes
ACN	534118
Time
Date	200112
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
State Reference	OR
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	534118
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground less severe ground encounters : vehicle ground encounters other non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far non adherence : company policies other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance Company Airport
Primary Problem	Company
Situations
Airport	design : pdx.airport other physical facility

Narrative:

Assigned gate is a dogleg gate, as defined by our fom, and is 'not' specifically exempt on the 10-7 page from requiring 2 persons to guide the aircraft -- per same page. We stopped at the initial leading line when there was only 1 marshaller. We called operations, who told us that it was not required. We asked for a second marshaller. Their response was to inform us that if we would not accept the single guide persons, that they would have us shut down and towed in. After 1 min stopped at the lead-in line, the second maintenance man who was at the guide grabbed some wands and guided us in properly. I believe that the operations agent was attempting to get us to ignore specific SOP, putting myself, my crew, and the operation at risk of fom (far) violation. I wrote 2 reports on this very gate/situation in 2001, and am aware of at least 1 other captain doing the same. I had several discussions with 2 company flight mgrs. All agreed that this gate required 2 guide men, and indicated that the station had been so informed. Somehow, the information is not getting to the operational level.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A320 PIC STOPS OUTSIDE OF HIS GATE AREA WHEN HAVING TO CALL OPS FOR THE SECOND MARSHALLER AS REQUIRED FOR PARKING AT THE SELECTED GATE BY THE AIRLINE MGMNT POLICY AT PDX, OR.

Narrative: ASSIGNED GATE IS A DOGLEG GATE, AS DEFINED BY OUR FOM, AND IS 'NOT' SPECIFICALLY EXEMPT ON THE 10-7 PAGE FROM REQUIRING 2 PERSONS TO GUIDE THE ACFT -- PER SAME PAGE. WE STOPPED AT THE INITIAL LEADING LINE WHEN THERE WAS ONLY 1 MARSHALLER. WE CALLED OPS, WHO TOLD US THAT IT WAS NOT REQUIRED. WE ASKED FOR A SECOND MARSHALLER. THEIR RESPONSE WAS TO INFORM US THAT IF WE WOULD NOT ACCEPT THE SINGLE GUIDE PERSONS, THAT THEY WOULD HAVE US SHUT DOWN AND TOWED IN. AFTER 1 MIN STOPPED AT THE LEAD-IN LINE, THE SECOND MAINT MAN WHO WAS AT THE GUIDE GRABBED SOME WANDS AND GUIDED US IN PROPERLY. I BELIEVE THAT THE OPS AGENT WAS ATTEMPTING TO GET US TO IGNORE SPECIFIC SOP, PUTTING MYSELF, MY CREW, AND THE OP AT RISK OF FOM (FAR) VIOLATION. I WROTE 2 RPTS ON THIS VERY GATE/SIT IN 2001, AND AM AWARE OF AT LEAST 1 OTHER CAPT DOING THE SAME. I HAD SEVERAL DISCUSSIONS WITH 2 COMPANY FLT MGRS. ALL AGREED THAT THIS GATE REQUIRED 2 GUIDE MEN, AND INDICATED THAT THE STATION HAD BEEN SO INFORMED. SOMEHOW, THE INFO IS NOT GETTING TO THE OPERATIONAL LEVEL.

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.

An A320 PIC stops outside of his gate area when having to call operations for the second marshaller as required for parking at the selected gate by the airline management policy at pdx, or.