B757 flight crew is concerned with pushback procedures being used by the ramp personnel at iad.

Attributes
ACN	709977
Time
Date	200609
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : iad.airport
State Reference	DC
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : dab.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
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 : 20000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	709977
Person 2
Function	other personnel
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : company policies non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

After a lengthy ramp delay; all doors were closed and checklist complete. Tug driver called and normal push onto a very congested ramp ensued. Shortly after push started; we noticed a ramp person at our 10 O'clock position signaling us to start engines. I queried the tug driver only to find her no longer connected. After a short push she reconnected and asked for brakes set. I asked what was going on and she stated it was a hand signal push. This was the first we heard about that. I was asking for more information when she just disconnected and the next thing I see is a salute and release at our 11 O'clock and another different salute from the tug driver at our 10 O'clock position. Everybody is frustrated out here but I am seeing more shortcuts taken on these pushbacks. Flashing the taxi light has no effect making this a dangerous operation. We verified we were clear; started the engines; and continued the flight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757 FLT CREW IS CONCERNED WITH PUSHBACK PROCS BEING USED BY THE RAMP PERSONNEL AT IAD.

Narrative: AFTER A LENGTHY RAMP DELAY; ALL DOORS WERE CLOSED AND CHKLIST COMPLETE. TUG DRIVER CALLED AND NORMAL PUSH ONTO A VERY CONGESTED RAMP ENSUED. SHORTLY AFTER PUSH STARTED; WE NOTICED A RAMP PERSON AT OUR 10 O'CLOCK POS SIGNALING US TO START ENGS. I QUERIED THE TUG DRIVER ONLY TO FIND HER NO LONGER CONNECTED. AFTER A SHORT PUSH SHE RECONNECTED AND ASKED FOR BRAKES SET. I ASKED WHAT WAS GOING ON AND SHE STATED IT WAS A HAND SIGNAL PUSH. THIS WAS THE FIRST WE HEARD ABOUT THAT. I WAS ASKING FOR MORE INFO WHEN SHE JUST DISCONNECTED AND THE NEXT THING I SEE IS A SALUTE AND RELEASE AT OUR 11 O'CLOCK AND ANOTHER DIFFERENT SALUTE FROM THE TUG DRIVER AT OUR 10 O'CLOCK POS. EVERYBODY IS FRUSTRATED OUT HERE BUT I AM SEEING MORE SHORTCUTS TAKEN ON THESE PUSHBACKS. FLASHING THE TAXI LIGHT HAS NO EFFECT MAKING THIS A DANGEROUS OP. WE VERIFIED WE WERE CLR; STARTED THE ENGS; AND CONTINUED THE FLT.

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.