Narrative:

I have been approached by several pilots concerned with the situation they encounter when they approach the arrival gate and there is only 1 ramp agent and gate services are in effect. The concern is that they are placed in a position of leaving an engine running while the one and only ramper is out of sight installing the chocks or connecting the power cord. Clearly; this practice is against established procedure; but the capts are concerned with the safety during the practice. Many of these pilots report that they are stopping on the j-line and starting the APU to bypass this concern. Most others are accepting the situation and leaving the engine running. We need to impose strict adherence to the 2 ramp agent policy or direct pilots to hold out until a second agent arrives.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR CAPTAIN IS CONCERNED ABOUT THE USE OF A SINGLE MARSHALLER TO PARK ACFT AT GATES.

Narrative: I HAVE BEEN APCHED BY SEVERAL PLTS CONCERNED WITH THE SITUATION THEY ENCOUNTER WHEN THEY APCH THE ARR GATE AND THERE IS ONLY 1 RAMP AGENT AND GATE SVCS ARE IN EFFECT. THE CONCERN IS THAT THEY ARE PLACED IN A POS OF LEAVING AN ENG RUNNING WHILE THE ONE AND ONLY RAMPER IS OUT OF SIGHT INSTALLING THE CHOCKS OR CONNECTING THE PWR CORD. CLRLY; THIS PRACTICE IS AGAINST ESTABLISHED PROC; BUT THE CAPTS ARE CONCERNED WITH THE SAFETY DURING THE PRACTICE. MANY OF THESE PLTS RPT THAT THEY ARE STOPPING ON THE J-LINE AND STARTING THE APU TO BYPASS THIS CONCERN. MOST OTHERS ARE ACCEPTING THE SITUATION AND LEAVING THE ENG RUNNING. WE NEED TO IMPOSE STRICT ADHERENCE TO THE 2 RAMP AGENT POLICY OR DIRECT PLTS TO HOLD OUT UNTIL A SECOND AGENT ARRIVES.

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.