Narrative:

Day #2 of new pushback procedures. On day #1 (sep/thu/03), same flight, same gate, the mechanic stated that he knew nothing about new pushback procedures and 'wouldn't use them anyway' we pushed using old procedures knowing it was the first day and there might be some confusion (although they were perfect everywhere else). On the date of this report, again at iad gate, a different mechanic again said he knew nothing about new procedures. I called operations and they said they knew nothing other than we could release brakes early. I called maintenance to speak to a supervisor and he said that no one at iad knows anything about a new pushback procedure, new challenge/response, or anything other than we can release brakes early. I emphasized that we were trying to do this the right way for the safety of their folks on the ground, but everyone denied knowing about this. I reluctantly agreed to not comply with SOP otherwise, we weren't getting out of town. I notified the duty manager after pushback. The additional concern is that iad said I was the first pilot in 2 days to mention anything about this, and that every single departure for the past 2 days has been completed with the old procedure. Apparently, we have an SOP compliance issue on our part, too.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A319 CREW OBSERVES THE NEW COMPANY SOP PUSHBACK PROCS ARE NOT BEING USED BY THE PUSHBACK CREWS.

Narrative: DAY #2 OF NEW PUSHBACK PROCS. ON DAY #1 (SEP/THU/03), SAME FLT, SAME GATE, THE MECH STATED THAT HE KNEW NOTHING ABOUT NEW PUSHBACK PROCS AND 'WOULDN'T USE THEM ANYWAY' WE PUSHED USING OLD PROCS KNOWING IT WAS THE FIRST DAY AND THERE MIGHT BE SOME CONFUSION (ALTHOUGH THEY WERE PERFECT EVERYWHERE ELSE). ON THE DATE OF THIS RPT, AGAIN AT IAD GATE, A DIFFERENT MECH AGAIN SAID HE KNEW NOTHING ABOUT NEW PROCS. I CALLED OPS AND THEY SAID THEY KNEW NOTHING OTHER THAN WE COULD RELEASE BRAKES EARLY. I CALLED MAINT TO SPEAK TO A SUPVR AND HE SAID THAT NO ONE AT IAD KNOWS ANYTHING ABOUT A NEW PUSHBACK PROC, NEW CHALLENGE/RESPONSE, OR ANYTHING OTHER THAN WE CAN RELEASE BRAKES EARLY. I EMPHASIZED THAT WE WERE TRYING TO DO THIS THE RIGHT WAY FOR THE SAFETY OF THEIR FOLKS ON THE GND, BUT EVERYONE DENIED KNOWING ABOUT THIS. I RELUCTANTLY AGREED TO NOT COMPLY WITH SOP OTHERWISE, WE WEREN'T GETTING OUT OF TOWN. I NOTIFIED THE DUTY MGR AFTER PUSHBACK. THE ADDITIONAL CONCERN IS THAT IAD SAID I WAS THE FIRST PLT IN 2 DAYS TO MENTION ANYTHING ABOUT THIS, AND THAT EVERY SINGLE DEP FOR THE PAST 2 DAYS HAS BEEN COMPLETED WITH THE OLD PROC. APPARENTLY, WE HAVE AN SOP COMPLIANCE ISSUE ON OUR PART, TOO.

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.