Narrative:

During the last 3 day trip I parked in 9 different cities; in 6 of those cities; 2 of which I parked twice; the ground air hose was not only in the safety zone; but within the red zone for the #1 engine intake. In all cases; the ground air hose and its carriage were within the red zone for the #1 engine and in each case I came to a stop until the ramp crew removed it from the red zone. I took the time to discuss it with the ramp crew and in each case they acknowledged that it wasn't supposed to be there; but nobody else ever complained or came to a stop. The potential for FOD to the #1 engine is high; as that is the only engine running while entering the safety zone and if the power is increased to make the stop mark; the hose can be sucked into the fan section. In the case of the ZZZ gate; I watched from another gate as the aircraft taxied in under the marshaller's directions with the hose and its carriage in the red zone and with the #1 engine still running the operations agent began moving the jetway which then articulated the hose and its carriage directly towards the #1 engine within 2-3 ft of the intake while still running. The ramp watched this happen with no apparent concern. 1) a flight operations bulletin needs to be issued to remind pilots not to taxi into a safety zone that has specifically the ground air hose in it and generally to be vigilant for FOD hazards that have become commonplace and; therefore; ignored. 2) ground operations needs to be reminded that the safety zone and the engine intake red zone is inviolate and to not allow this drift to failure to continue.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT REPORTS THAT IT IS NOT UNCOMMON FOR THE GROUND AIR HOSE AND ITS CARRIAGE TO BE WITHIN THE ENG INGESTION ZONE WHILE AN ACFT TAXIES INTO THE GATE.

Narrative: DURING THE LAST 3 DAY TRIP I PARKED IN 9 DIFFERENT CITIES; IN 6 OF THOSE CITIES; 2 OF WHICH I PARKED TWICE; THE GND AIR HOSE WAS NOT ONLY IN THE SAFETY ZONE; BUT WITHIN THE RED ZONE FOR THE #1 ENG INTAKE. IN ALL CASES; THE GND AIR HOSE AND ITS CARRIAGE WERE WITHIN THE RED ZONE FOR THE #1 ENG AND IN EACH CASE I CAME TO A STOP UNTIL THE RAMP CREW REMOVED IT FROM THE RED ZONE. I TOOK THE TIME TO DISCUSS IT WITH THE RAMP CREW AND IN EACH CASE THEY ACKNOWLEDGED THAT IT WASN'T SUPPOSED TO BE THERE; BUT NOBODY ELSE EVER COMPLAINED OR CAME TO A STOP. THE POTENTIAL FOR FOD TO THE #1 ENG IS HIGH; AS THAT IS THE ONLY ENG RUNNING WHILE ENTERING THE SAFETY ZONE AND IF THE PWR IS INCREASED TO MAKE THE STOP MARK; THE HOSE CAN BE SUCKED INTO THE FAN SECTION. IN THE CASE OF THE ZZZ GATE; I WATCHED FROM ANOTHER GATE AS THE ACFT TAXIED IN UNDER THE MARSHALLER'S DIRECTIONS WITH THE HOSE AND ITS CARRIAGE IN THE RED ZONE AND WITH THE #1 ENG STILL RUNNING THE OPS AGENT BEGAN MOVING THE JETWAY WHICH THEN ARTICULATED THE HOSE AND ITS CARRIAGE DIRECTLY TOWARDS THE #1 ENG WITHIN 2-3 FT OF THE INTAKE WHILE STILL RUNNING. THE RAMP WATCHED THIS HAPPEN WITH NO APPARENT CONCERN. 1) A FLT OPS BULLETIN NEEDS TO BE ISSUED TO REMIND PLTS NOT TO TAXI INTO A SAFETY ZONE THAT HAS SPECIFICALLY THE GND AIR HOSE IN IT AND GENERALLY TO BE VIGILANT FOR FOD HAZARDS THAT HAVE BECOME COMMONPLACE AND; THEREFORE; IGNORED. 2) GND OPS NEEDS TO BE REMINDED THAT THE SAFETY ZONE AND THE ENG INTAKE RED ZONE IS INVIOLATE AND TO NOT ALLOW THIS DRIFT TO FAILURE TO CONTINUE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.