Narrative:

On start-up; ground operations cleared us to start #1 (both I and the first officer heard him say #1; which is normal SOP). As we started #1; I noticed ground personnel out of left window raising their arms and shouting. Could not hear anyone and no communications over interphone. Continued start normally. No issues on the initial push. I asked what the issue was. After the push was complete; the ground guy said the huffer was on the left side with the hose close to the engine. Doesn't matter where one is (what station); but the ground crew needs to tell you where the huffer is and which is the correct engine to start. Change checklist to add/verify which side huffer is on and which engine to start with ground personnel prior to start.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A319 CAPTAIN REPORTS BEING INSTRUCTED TO START NUMBER 1 ENGINE USING EXTERNAL AIR AND DISCOVERS DURING PUSH BACK THAT THE AIR CART WAS LOCATED NEAR THAT ENGINE DURING START.

Narrative: ON START-UP; GND OPS CLRED US TO START #1 (BOTH I AND THE FO HEARD HIM SAY #1; WHICH IS NORMAL SOP). AS WE STARTED #1; I NOTICED GND PERSONNEL OUT OF L WINDOW RAISING THEIR ARMS AND SHOUTING. COULD NOT HEAR ANYONE AND NO COMS OVER INTERPHONE. CONTINUED START NORMALLY. NO ISSUES ON THE INITIAL PUSH. I ASKED WHAT THE ISSUE WAS. AFTER THE PUSH WAS COMPLETE; THE GND GUY SAID THE HUFFER WAS ON THE L SIDE WITH THE HOSE CLOSE TO THE ENG. DOESN'T MATTER WHERE ONE IS (WHAT STATION); BUT THE GND CREW NEEDS TO TELL YOU WHERE THE HUFFER IS AND WHICH IS THE CORRECT ENG TO START. CHANGE CHKLIST TO ADD/VERIFY WHICH SIDE HUFFER IS ON AND WHICH ENG TO START WITH GND PERSONNEL PRIOR TO START.

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.