Narrative:

There are many times when we approach the gate at a 90 degree angle. From the cockpit; one must pass the lead-in line and when the line passes just behind the first officer's last window; one begins the turn. We cannot see our aircraft wings nor the traffic approaching from our right in this instance. There is a huge blind spot as the crew transitions from going straight forward to making a 90 degree; or less; turn. Without a guideman to assume responsibility; and act as our eyes; the chance for a ground mishap is increased tremendously. Watching the ramp ground vehicular traffic at dfw makes any ground safety individual cringe. I was greeted at the gate by a ramp supervisor asking why I had refused to use the automated docking guidance system (dgs). I must say that I was surprised that after requesting a guideman on the ramp frequency and stating that I was uncomfortable using the self parking system; that a ramp supervisor would meet me after parking and ask the same question. The dgs self parking system decreases ground safety; will increase ground mishaps; it transfers total responsibility of parking our aircraft to the crew. It doesn't address the issue of blind spots that are present while taxiing an aircraft. This is a safety issue.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR CAPT REGISTERS HIS CONCERN THAT A NEW SELF PARK SYSTEM IS NOT AS SAFE AS THE OLD GUIDEMAN PROCEDURE.

Narrative: THERE ARE MANY TIMES WHEN WE APCH THE GATE AT A 90 DEG ANGLE. FROM THE COCKPIT; ONE MUST PASS THE LEAD-IN LINE AND WHEN THE LINE PASSES JUST BEHIND THE FO'S LAST WINDOW; ONE BEGINS THE TURN. WE CANNOT SEE OUR ACFT WINGS NOR THE TFC APCHING FROM OUR R IN THIS INSTANCE. THERE IS A HUGE BLIND SPOT AS THE CREW TRANSITIONS FROM GOING STRAIGHT FORWARD TO MAKING A 90 DEG; OR LESS; TURN. WITHOUT A GUIDEMAN TO ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY; AND ACT AS OUR EYES; THE CHANCE FOR A GND MISHAP IS INCREASED TREMENDOUSLY. WATCHING THE RAMP GND VEHICULAR TFC AT DFW MAKES ANY GND SAFETY INDIVIDUAL CRINGE. I WAS GREETED AT THE GATE BY A RAMP SUPVR ASKING WHY I HAD REFUSED TO USE THE AUTOMATED DOCKING GUIDANCE SYS (DGS). I MUST SAY THAT I WAS SURPRISED THAT AFTER REQUESTING A GUIDEMAN ON THE RAMP FREQ AND STATING THAT I WAS UNCOMFORTABLE USING THE SELF PARKING SYS; THAT A RAMP SUPVR WOULD MEET ME AFTER PARKING AND ASK THE SAME QUESTION. THE DGS SELF PARKING SYS DECREASES GND SAFETY; WILL INCREASE GND MISHAPS; IT TRANSFERS TOTAL RESPONSIBILITY OF PARKING OUR ACFT TO THE CREW. IT DOESN'T ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF BLIND SPOTS THAT ARE PRESENT WHILE TAXIING AN ACFT. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE.

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.