Narrative:

Prior to departure we were given B757 on gate X with a WX radar that was not functional for our flight itinerary. We changed to B757 on gate Y which had no APU. We had to start an engine at the gate with external power and external air. On taxi out we discovered 4 EICAS messages; one of which referred us to MEL that had to be taken care of by a licensed mechanic. We returned to gate west. Due to the minimally manned situation at fll we had to stop short of the gate and kept the right engine running for several mins until a ramp crewman could assist us. We had to xbleed start the left engine prior to reaching the gate due to our gross weight. Our mechanic corrected our EICAS situation within seconds and we started the right engine at the gate; pushed back and xbleed started the left engine. Upon termination today we were met by mr X the broward county aviation department. He discussed that xbleed starts are not allowed on the ramp at fll after departing a gate. We were not monitored by any ramp personnel during the xbleed starts at gate Y or gate west earlier today. His decision was to issue a warning to the station personnel at fll about not having monitored our xbleed starts and jeopardizing personnel and equipment around and behind us. Our pages do not have any notes on xbleed starts being prohibited. NOTAMS should be immediately added to departing aircrews at fll about the xbleed starting restrs and notify commercial chart company to add the information to a future issue. Increase the manning in fll to reduce the delays and potential hazards that circumstances similar to ours may cause in the future.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757 FLT CREW PERFORMS A XBLEED START DUE TO INOP APU AT FLL.

Narrative: PRIOR TO DEP WE WERE GIVEN B757 ON GATE X WITH A WX RADAR THAT WAS NOT FUNCTIONAL FOR OUR FLT ITINERARY. WE CHANGED TO B757 ON GATE Y WHICH HAD NO APU. WE HAD TO START AN ENG AT THE GATE WITH EXTERNAL PWR AND EXTERNAL AIR. ON TAXI OUT WE DISCOVERED 4 EICAS MESSAGES; ONE OF WHICH REFERRED US TO MEL THAT HAD TO BE TAKEN CARE OF BY A LICENSED MECH. WE RETURNED TO GATE W. DUE TO THE MINIMALLY MANNED SITUATION AT FLL WE HAD TO STOP SHORT OF THE GATE AND KEPT THE R ENG RUNNING FOR SEVERAL MINS UNTIL A RAMP CREWMAN COULD ASSIST US. WE HAD TO XBLEED START THE L ENG PRIOR TO REACHING THE GATE DUE TO OUR GROSS WT. OUR MECH CORRECTED OUR EICAS SITUATION WITHIN SECONDS AND WE STARTED THE R ENG AT THE GATE; PUSHED BACK AND XBLEED STARTED THE L ENG. UPON TERMINATION TODAY WE WERE MET BY MR X THE BROWARD COUNTY AVIATION DEPT. HE DISCUSSED THAT XBLEED STARTS ARE NOT ALLOWED ON THE RAMP AT FLL AFTER DEPARTING A GATE. WE WERE NOT MONITORED BY ANY RAMP PERSONNEL DURING THE XBLEED STARTS AT GATE Y OR GATE W EARLIER TODAY. HIS DECISION WAS TO ISSUE A WARNING TO THE STATION PERSONNEL AT FLL ABOUT NOT HAVING MONITORED OUR XBLEED STARTS AND JEOPARDIZING PERSONNEL AND EQUIP AROUND AND BEHIND US. OUR PAGES DO NOT HAVE ANY NOTES ON XBLEED STARTS BEING PROHIBITED. NOTAMS SHOULD BE IMMEDIATELY ADDED TO DEPARTING AIRCREWS AT FLL ABOUT THE XBLEED STARTING RESTRS AND NOTIFY COMMERCIAL CHART COMPANY TO ADD THE INFO TO A FUTURE ISSUE. INCREASE THE MANNING IN FLL TO REDUCE THE DELAYS AND POTENTIAL HAZARDS THAT CIRCUMSTANCES SIMILAR TO OURS MAY CAUSE IN THE FUTURE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.