Narrative:

On a number of occasions; I have had difficulty coordinating pushback without verbal communications. While the best way to accomplish this is with a face-to-face briefing; in most cases the headset failure is not idented until after the jetway has been moved back. I believe this potential safety problem arises not only from a lack of ground crew training and experience; but limited procedures spelled out in our operations manual. While we have significant detail discussing pushback with communications; the fom only references the hand signals in the appendix for no interphone pushback. I believe clearly spelling out the procedure to both flight crews and ground crews would improve safety and efficiency. The procedure should include; as a minimum; the following: 1) a ramp agent should be in sight of the captain throughout the pushback. 2) a hand signal should be used to indicate the safety zone is clear; etc. 3) the captain should initiate pushback by giving the brake release hand signal. 4) the agent should signal for the engine start. 5) the agent should signal for brakes set when push is complete. 6) an all clear signal should be given to indicate the agents; tug; and tow bar are clear prior to taxi. An fom change including the items above along with appropriate change to the ground operations manual.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: REPORTING PLT STATES THAT SOP NOT ESTABLISHED FOR PUSHBACK USING HAND SIGNALS ONLY.

Narrative: ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS; I HAVE HAD DIFFICULTY COORDINATING PUSHBACK WITHOUT VERBAL COMS. WHILE THE BEST WAY TO ACCOMPLISH THIS IS WITH A FACE-TO-FACE BRIEFING; IN MOST CASES THE HEADSET FAILURE IS NOT IDENTED UNTIL AFTER THE JETWAY HAS BEEN MOVED BACK. I BELIEVE THIS POTENTIAL SAFETY PROB ARISES NOT ONLY FROM A LACK OF GND CREW TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE; BUT LIMITED PROCS SPELLED OUT IN OUR OPS MANUAL. WHILE WE HAVE SIGNIFICANT DETAIL DISCUSSING PUSHBACK WITH COMS; THE FOM ONLY REFS THE HAND SIGNALS IN THE APPENDIX FOR NO INTERPHONE PUSHBACK. I BELIEVE CLRLY SPELLING OUT THE PROC TO BOTH FLT CREWS AND GND CREWS WOULD IMPROVE SAFETY AND EFFICIENCY. THE PROC SHOULD INCLUDE; AS A MINIMUM; THE FOLLOWING: 1) A RAMP AGENT SHOULD BE IN SIGHT OF THE CAPT THROUGHOUT THE PUSHBACK. 2) A HAND SIGNAL SHOULD BE USED TO INDICATE THE SAFETY ZONE IS CLR; ETC. 3) THE CAPT SHOULD INITIATE PUSHBACK BY GIVING THE BRAKE RELEASE HAND SIGNAL. 4) THE AGENT SHOULD SIGNAL FOR THE ENG START. 5) THE AGENT SHOULD SIGNAL FOR BRAKES SET WHEN PUSH IS COMPLETE. 6) AN ALL CLR SIGNAL SHOULD BE GIVEN TO INDICATE THE AGENTS; TUG; AND TOW BAR ARE CLR PRIOR TO TAXI. AN FOM CHANGE INCLUDING THE ITEMS ABOVE ALONG WITH APPROPRIATE CHANGE TO THE GND OPS MANUAL.

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.