Narrative:

Very rarely is an interphone check done with the captain. Almost always a 'release brakes' request is made in the first two seconds of the first interphone call from ground. If there is three to five minutes of interphone static and random noises; a ground person visualizes and gives a release brakes signal. I have found that the same person that is signaling to me with hand signals does not know the 'engine fire on start' signal. Then that person disappears to be replaced by another who also does not know the signal. A period of waiting occurs and then someone; usually from the building; arrives that knows the correct signal. Less than 20 percent know the correct signal!callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter advised at his air carrier there are established signals for engine fires during start. His concern is specifically the lack of knowledge of those signals on the part of the ground crews. The reporter feels this is a result of insufficient training; high turnover rates and lack of professional commitment on the part of those hired to do the work. Reporter also commented that the lack of adherence to SOP extends to other requirements such as meeting and briefing with the flight crew prior to closing the cabin door when a push without radio contact will be necessary.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR CAPTAIN FEELS GROUND CREWS ARE INADEQUATELY TRAINED ON HAND SIGNALS REGARDING ENGINE START FIRES.

Narrative: VERY RARELY IS AN INTERPHONE CHK DONE WITH THE CAPT. ALMOST ALWAYS A 'RELEASE BRAKES' REQUEST IS MADE IN THE FIRST TWO SECONDS OF THE FIRST INTERPHONE CALL FROM GND. IF THERE IS THREE TO FIVE MINUTES OF INTERPHONE STATIC AND RANDOM NOISES; A GND PERSON VISUALIZES AND GIVES A RELEASE BRAKES SIGNAL. I HAVE FOUND THAT THE SAME PERSON THAT IS SIGNALING TO ME WITH HAND SIGNALS DOES NOT KNOW THE 'ENG FIRE ON START' SIGNAL. THEN THAT PERSON DISAPPEARS TO BE REPLACED BY ANOTHER WHO ALSO DOES NOT KNOW THE SIGNAL. A PERIOD OF WAITING OCCURS AND THEN SOMEONE; USUALLY FROM THE BUILDING; ARRIVES THAT KNOWS THE CORRECT SIGNAL. LESS THAN 20 PERCENT KNOW THE CORRECT SIGNAL!CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: REPORTER ADVISED AT HIS ACR THERE ARE ESTABLISHED SIGNALS FOR ENGINE FIRES DURING START. HIS CONCERN IS SPECIFICALLY THE LACK OF KNOWLEDGE OF THOSE SIGNALS ON THE PART OF THE GND CREWS. THE RPTR FEELS THIS IS A RESULT OF INSUFFICIENT TRAINING; HIGH TURNOVER RATES AND LACK OF PROFESSIONAL COMMITMENT ON THE PART OF THOSE HIRED TO DO THE WORK. REPORTER ALSO COMMENTED THAT THE LACK OF ADHERENCE TO SOP EXTENDS TO OTHER REQUIREMENTS SUCH AS MEETING AND BRIEFING WITH THE FLT CREW PRIOR TO CLOSING THE CABIN DOOR WHEN A PUSH WITHOUT RADIO CONTACT WILL BE NECESSARY.

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.