Narrative:

We were at the gate and had an external air cart ready to start our engines at the gate. Approximately 15 minutes prior to departure the supervising ramp agent; asked our gate agent if we were ready to start engine #2. We were not ready and relayed the information to him. He hooked into the intercom a few minutes later and asked us again; but we were not ready. The gate agent told us the ramp supervisor was worried about getting an on time departure and we felt rushed. We did get an on time departure and after starting the engines with the external air cart the ramp supervisor asked if the nose wheel steering was disengaged and the parking brake was released. He said the chocks had been removed. The captain and I looked at each other puzzled and looked at the tug sitting 15 feet in front of the airplane. The captain left the parking brake 'parked' and informed the supervisor saying; 'isn't the tug supposed to be attached to the airplane before I release the parking brake? The tug is fifteen feet in front of us.' at this point there was some mumbling through the intercom and the tug was pulled up to the airplane into the proper position. The proper procedure and callouts were made by the ground crew after the tug was into the proper position. I was concerned that if the captain had released the parking brake at the time the supervisor asked him to with no chocks in place and both engines at idle that we could have ran the aircraft into the jet bridge unless we reached up and applied the toe brakes in time to stop the aircraft. The supervisor was trying to rush us to get an out time and did not have the tug in position when he told the captain to release the parking brake while both engines were running at idle. Ensure the supervisors have the proper training in the ramp and that they think carefully before removing the chocks; especially when there is no tug in place and the aircraft is running prior to pushback.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Regional Jet crew reported being rushed to pushback by the ramp supervisor. Crew also reported that the supervisor had not connected the tug before requesting that the aircraft brakes be released.

Narrative: We were at the gate and had an external air cart ready to start our engines at the gate. Approximately 15 minutes prior to departure the supervising ramp agent; asked our gate agent if we were ready to start engine #2. We were not ready and relayed the information to him. He hooked into the intercom a few minutes later and asked us again; but we were not ready. The gate agent told us the ramp supervisor was worried about getting an on time departure and we felt rushed. We did get an on time departure and after starting the engines with the external air cart the ramp supervisor asked if the nose wheel steering was disengaged and the parking brake was released. He said the chocks had been removed. The Captain and I looked at each other puzzled and looked at the tug sitting 15 feet in front of the airplane. The Captain left the parking brake 'parked' and informed the supervisor saying; 'Isn't the tug supposed to be attached to the airplane before I release the parking brake? The tug is fifteen feet in front of us.' At this point there was some mumbling through the intercom and the tug was pulled up to the airplane into the proper position. The proper procedure and callouts were made by the ground crew after the tug was into the proper position. I was concerned that if the Captain had released the parking brake at the time the supervisor asked him to with no chocks in place and both engines at idle that we could have ran the aircraft into the jet bridge unless we reached up and applied the toe brakes in time to stop the aircraft. The Supervisor was trying to rush us to get an out time and did not have the tug in position when he told the Captain to release the parking brake while both engines were running at idle. Ensure the Supervisors have the proper training in the ramp and that they think carefully before removing the chocks; especially when there is no tug in place and the aircraft is running prior to pushback.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.