Narrative:

After push back, with brakes set and all 3 engines running I cleared the guideman to disconnect interphone. The tug departed the aircraft quickly, and nobody appeared to remain on the ramp. Taxi clearance was obtained from bgi ATC. It stated: cleared taxi runway 09 via taxiway alpha and exit 2. (Exit 2 is not depicted on charts and this was the first time in bgi for both first officer and flight engineer) both cabin attendant and first officer went heads down in the ground chart to look for exit 2. When ready to taxi, no one was in sight on the ramp, I released the brakes, added power and immediately realized no salute had been obtained. The aircraft perhaps moved less than a ft prior to brake release. Shortly after, the gndman appeared from under the right front of the aircraft. The salute was received from this position without further incident. In light of this occurrence, I strongly recommend the reimplementation of the old departure salute procedure, where no contact is made to ground control prior to the captain. Saying: I have a salute. Failure to reintroduce this procedure, will, in my opinion, leave us open to the eventuality of death of a guideman one of these days.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: 727 FLC RELEASES BRAKES PRIOR TO RECEIVING SALUTE FROM GND GUIDEMAN.

Narrative: AFTER PUSH BACK, WITH BRAKES SET AND ALL 3 ENGINES RUNNING I CLRED THE GUIDEMAN TO DISCONNECT INTERPHONE. THE TUG DEPARTED THE ACFT QUICKLY, AND NOBODY APPEARED TO REMAIN ON THE RAMP. TAXI CLRNC WAS OBTAINED FROM BGI ATC. IT STATED: CLRED TAXI RWY 09 VIA TXWY ALPHA AND EXIT 2. (EXIT 2 IS NOT DEPICTED ON CHARTS AND THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME IN BGI FOR BOTH FO AND FE) BOTH CABIN ATTENDANT AND FO WENT HEADS DOWN IN THE GND CHART TO LOOK FOR EXIT 2. WHEN READY TO TAXI, NO ONE WAS IN SIGHT ON THE RAMP, I RELEASED THE BRAKES, ADDED PWR AND IMMEDIATELY REALIZED NO SALUTE HAD BEEN OBTAINED. THE ACFT PERHAPS MOVED LESS THAN A FT PRIOR TO BRAKE RELEASE. SHORTLY AFTER, THE GNDMAN APPEARED FROM UNDER THE R FRONT OF THE ACFT. THE SALUTE WAS RECEIVED FROM THIS POS WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. IN LIGHT OF THIS OCCURRENCE, I STRONGLY RECOMMEND THE REIMPLEMENTATION OF THE OLD DEP SALUTE PROC, WHERE NO CONTACT IS MADE TO GND CTL PRIOR TO THE CAPT. SAYING: I HAVE A SALUTE. FAILURE TO REINTRODUCE THIS PROC, WILL, IN MY OPINION, LEAVE US OPEN TO THE EVENTUALITY OF DEATH OF A GUIDEMAN ONE OF THESE DAYS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 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.