An A320 crew does not receive proper wave-off from the ground crew.

Attributes
ACN	639936
Time
Date	200412
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : pushback
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 22000 flight time type : 3500
ASRS Report	639936
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : company policies
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

The push was normal as well as the disconnect headset call. The push crew did not position themselves so that either the first officer or myself could see the tractor or signal man. I kept looking and we both leaned up over the glare shield and located the push crew under the nose of the aircraft. The signal man was waving the wands over his head when we finally made eye contact. I did not receive a salute nor acknowledge one. The push crew then drove off. I called operations requesting a salute to verify that the aircraft was clear. After a few mins delay, I again requested a proper release. Operations replied 'you are clear.' another crew member was in operations and heard my request. He spoke briefly to the guideman and his response was that he gave a salute and 'I did not see it, it was my problem not his.' rather than delay the flight further we cleared ourselves and left. Either we work together for safety or someone will get hurt.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A320 CREW DOES NOT RECEIVE PROPER WAVE-OFF FROM THE GND CREW.

Narrative: THE PUSH WAS NORMAL AS WELL AS THE DISCONNECT HEADSET CALL. THE PUSH CREW DID NOT POS THEMSELVES SO THAT EITHER THE FO OR MYSELF COULD SEE THE TRACTOR OR SIGNAL MAN. I KEPT LOOKING AND WE BOTH LEANED UP OVER THE GLARE SHIELD AND LOCATED THE PUSH CREW UNDER THE NOSE OF THE ACFT. THE SIGNAL MAN WAS WAVING THE WANDS OVER HIS HEAD WHEN WE FINALLY MADE EYE CONTACT. I DID NOT RECEIVE A SALUTE NOR ACKNOWLEDGE ONE. THE PUSH CREW THEN DROVE OFF. I CALLED OPS REQUESTING A SALUTE TO VERIFY THAT THE ACFT WAS CLR. AFTER A FEW MINS DELAY, I AGAIN REQUESTED A PROPER RELEASE. OPS REPLIED 'YOU ARE CLR.' ANOTHER CREW MEMBER WAS IN OPS AND HEARD MY REQUEST. HE SPOKE BRIEFLY TO THE GUIDEMAN AND HIS RESPONSE WAS THAT HE GAVE A SALUTE AND 'I DID NOT SEE IT, IT WAS MY PROB NOT HIS.' RATHER THAN DELAY THE FLT FURTHER WE CLRED OURSELVES AND LEFT. EITHER WE WORK TOGETHER FOR SAFETY OR SOMEONE WILL GET HURT.

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.