B737 flight crew required to run #1 engine while parked at gate.

Attributes
ACN	700069
Time
Date	200606
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180
ASRS Report	700069
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Company Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

We were required to keep the #1 engine running the entire time at the gate which created a very dangerous situation with potential serious consequences. There were no cones to keep a 'clear area' around the engine running. There was no ground person to keep the area clear. There was no cockpit to ground communications available. The #1 engine is not visible from the cockpit with the jetway in place. The fix seems simple -- buy an air start unit or have one sent to this station.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 FLT CREW REQUIRED TO RUN #1 ENG WHILE PARKED AT GATE.

Narrative: WE WERE REQUIRED TO KEEP THE #1 ENG RUNNING THE ENTIRE TIME AT THE GATE WHICH CREATED A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION WITH POTENTIAL SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES. THERE WERE NO CONES TO KEEP A 'CLR AREA' AROUND THE ENG RUNNING. THERE WAS NO GND PERSON TO KEEP THE AREA CLR. THERE WAS NO COCKPIT TO GND COMS AVAILABLE. THE #1 ENG IS NOT VISIBLE FROM THE COCKPIT WITH THE JETWAY IN PLACE. THE FIX SEEMS SIMPLE -- BUY AN AIR START UNIT OR HAVE ONE SENT TO THIS STATION.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.