Narrative:

Training crew for pushback. Instructor needs to ensure that nosewheel is centered before nose steering bypass pin is removed to prevent nosewheel from scuffing and stress to the nose gear itself -- same problem as detailed above. Contract crew has very poor pushback procedures. Person on headset after push completed and brakes set said 'pushback complete, brakes set, disconnecting towbar, good day.' he later came back on headset and said 'towbar disconnected,' to which I responded 'disconnect.' the person with the wands was standing in front of the aircraft during the towbar disconnect with her arms pointed downward at 45 degrees. This went on for about 90 seconds after the towbar had been disconnected. I had no clue what she was doing, until she walked away in obvious disgust and gave me a half-assed salute indicating the area was safe for taxi. I flashed my taxi light and we left. Warning: this contract outfit is setting up for an accident or incident. These folks are in serious need of training in company procedures.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757 CAPT IS CONCERNED THAT NEW CONTRACT RAMP PERSONNEL ARE NOT FOLLOWING PROPER COMPANY PROC.

Narrative: TRAINING CREW FOR PUSHBACK. INSTRUCTOR NEEDS TO ENSURE THAT NOSEWHEEL IS CTRED BEFORE NOSE STEERING BYPASS PIN IS REMOVED TO PREVENT NOSEWHEEL FROM SCUFFING AND STRESS TO THE NOSE GEAR ITSELF -- SAME PROB AS DETAILED ABOVE. CONTRACT CREW HAS VERY POOR PUSHBACK PROCS. PERSON ON HEADSET AFTER PUSH COMPLETED AND BRAKES SET SAID 'PUSHBACK COMPLETE, BRAKES SET, DISCONNECTING TOWBAR, GOOD DAY.' HE LATER CAME BACK ON HEADSET AND SAID 'TOWBAR DISCONNECTED,' TO WHICH I RESPONDED 'DISCONNECT.' THE PERSON WITH THE WANDS WAS STANDING IN FRONT OF THE ACFT DURING THE TOWBAR DISCONNECT WITH HER ARMS POINTED DOWNWARD AT 45 DEGS. THIS WENT ON FOR ABOUT 90 SECONDS AFTER THE TOWBAR HAD BEEN DISCONNECTED. I HAD NO CLUE WHAT SHE WAS DOING, UNTIL SHE WALKED AWAY IN OBVIOUS DISGUST AND GAVE ME A HALF-ASSED SALUTE INDICATING THE AREA WAS SAFE FOR TAXI. I FLASHED MY TAXI LIGHT AND WE LEFT. WARNING: THIS CONTRACT OUTFIT IS SETTING UP FOR AN ACCIDENT OR INCIDENT. THESE FOLKS ARE IN SERIOUS NEED OF TRAINING IN COMPANY PROCS.

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.