Narrative:

At approximately A50 on the evening of mar/thu/03, we were ready to push back from the new gate at mdw airport. The plane that we were in had an inoperative pneumatic function on the APU. Therefore, we had to start one of the engines at the gate with an air start. I asked the ground controller, who was also clearance, tower, etc, if we could start an engine at the gate. He replied 'I have no control over that, give me a call when you're ready to taxi.' I thought that this was a bit odd. I repeated what was said to the captain. He said that that was ok. We proceeded to start the right engine at the gate. We then proceeded to push back from gate onto taxiway Y. We then conducted a xbleed start on the left engine. The push crew disconnected. The ground controller then asked who was parked on taxiway Y. I told him that we were. He then told us that we were not given permission to push back onto active taxiway Y and that, in the future, we need to check with him. I simply responded with our call sign. He then gave us taxi instructions to the active runway. I believe that the root of the problem was the controller being overworked. He was extremely busy, because at that time of night they go to one controller at midway. That is one controller to handle all clrncs, ground, and tower. I think that he meant to tell us to call him when we were ready to push, but he actually told us to contact him when ready to taxi. I think the problem can be corrected by waiting until later in the evening, when traffic flow is lower, before going to one controller operations.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PUSHBACK CLRNC CONFUSION WITH B757 DEPARTING MDW.

Narrative: AT APPROX A50 ON THE EVENING OF MAR/THU/03, WE WERE READY TO PUSH BACK FROM THE NEW GATE AT MDW ARPT. THE PLANE THAT WE WERE IN HAD AN INOP PNEUMATIC FUNCTION ON THE APU. THEREFORE, WE HAD TO START ONE OF THE ENGS AT THE GATE WITH AN AIR START. I ASKED THE GND CTLR, WHO WAS ALSO CLRNC, TWR, ETC, IF WE COULD START AN ENG AT THE GATE. HE REPLIED 'I HAVE NO CTL OVER THAT, GIVE ME A CALL WHEN YOU'RE READY TO TAXI.' I THOUGHT THAT THIS WAS A BIT ODD. I REPEATED WHAT WAS SAID TO THE CAPT. HE SAID THAT THAT WAS OK. WE PROCEEDED TO START THE R ENG AT THE GATE. WE THEN PROCEEDED TO PUSH BACK FROM GATE ONTO TXWY Y. WE THEN CONDUCTED A XBLEED START ON THE L ENG. THE PUSH CREW DISCONNECTED. THE GND CTLR THEN ASKED WHO WAS PARKED ON TXWY Y. I TOLD HIM THAT WE WERE. HE THEN TOLD US THAT WE WERE NOT GIVEN PERMISSION TO PUSH BACK ONTO ACTIVE TXWY Y AND THAT, IN THE FUTURE, WE NEED TO CHK WITH HIM. I SIMPLY RESPONDED WITH OUR CALL SIGN. HE THEN GAVE US TAXI INSTRUCTIONS TO THE ACTIVE RWY. I BELIEVE THAT THE ROOT OF THE PROB WAS THE CTLR BEING OVERWORKED. HE WAS EXTREMELY BUSY, BECAUSE AT THAT TIME OF NIGHT THEY GO TO ONE CTLR AT MIDWAY. THAT IS ONE CTLR TO HANDLE ALL CLRNCS, GND, AND TWR. I THINK THAT HE MEANT TO TELL US TO CALL HIM WHEN WE WERE READY TO PUSH, BUT HE ACTUALLY TOLD US TO CONTACT HIM WHEN READY TO TAXI. I THINK THE PROB CAN BE CORRECTED BY WAITING UNTIL LATER IN THE EVENING, WHEN TFC FLOW IS LOWER, BEFORE GOING TO ONE CTLR OPS.

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.