Narrative:

We had a late arriving aircraft; so we were going to do a quick turn. The left brakes were in the mid 300 degree area and the right ones were very close to being overheated too. I asked the first officer to call ramp and ask them to chock the airplane; so we could release brakes to increase cooling. A ramp person called me on the intercom and confirmed we wanted the wheels chocked. I told him I had hot brakes and yes; I needed the wheels chocked. When he confirmed chocks in; I requested clearance and released brakes. When the tires were getting half way cooled; I walked out to tell them how much time I thought we had till we could go. What I found was dismaying; dangerous; and against SOP. All chocks except 1 had been removed and the brakes were still off! The nose and right gear chocks were gone; there was 1 chock in front of #2 tire; and a chock standing vertically leaning against the front of #2 tire. With the number of times I've seen tow bars come disconnected; this aircraft could've rolled and caused damage or injury. I have had a slew of problems with ramp personnel at different locations lately; leading me to believe we had better get our act together before we injure or kill someone; or have a hull loss. Today's ramp personnel are very different from yrs past. They used to be career maintenance people with a broad view of what was going on around them. Today's ramp people are less likely to be career people and do not have enough situational awareness to realize the danger they can be in. I went to the ramp shack to request a supervisor and the lead laid into me with both barrels. He had all kinds of excuses and was trying to blame me! He wouldn't call a supervisor; so I went upstairs and called for one. 2 supervisors showed up and listened with great concern to what I said. I have no anger and am not looking for someone to be disciplined. What I seek; is education and proper training before we kill someone.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 CAPTAIN REPORTS GND CREW FAILED TO PROPERLY CHOCK THE ACFT WHEN BRAKES WERE RELEASED FOR COOLING.

Narrative: WE HAD A LATE ARRIVING ACFT; SO WE WERE GOING TO DO A QUICK TURN. THE L BRAKES WERE IN THE MID 300 DEG AREA AND THE RIGHT ONES WERE VERY CLOSE TO BEING OVERHEATED TOO. I ASKED THE FO TO CALL RAMP AND ASK THEM TO CHOCK THE AIRPLANE; SO WE COULD RELEASE BRAKES TO INCREASE COOLING. A RAMP PERSON CALLED ME ON THE INTERCOM AND CONFIRMED WE WANTED THE WHEELS CHOCKED. I TOLD HIM I HAD HOT BRAKES AND YES; I NEEDED THE WHEELS CHOCKED. WHEN HE CONFIRMED CHOCKS IN; I REQUESTED CLRNC AND RELEASED BRAKES. WHEN THE TIRES WERE GETTING HALF WAY COOLED; I WALKED OUT TO TELL THEM HOW MUCH TIME I THOUGHT WE HAD TILL WE COULD GO. WHAT I FOUND WAS DISMAYING; DANGEROUS; AND AGAINST SOP. ALL CHOCKS EXCEPT 1 HAD BEEN REMOVED AND THE BRAKES WERE STILL OFF! THE NOSE AND R GEAR CHOCKS WERE GONE; THERE WAS 1 CHOCK IN FRONT OF #2 TIRE; AND A CHOCK STANDING VERTICALLY LEANING AGAINST THE FRONT OF #2 TIRE. WITH THE NUMBER OF TIMES I'VE SEEN TOW BARS COME DISCONNECTED; THIS ACFT COULD'VE ROLLED AND CAUSED DAMAGE OR INJURY. I HAVE HAD A SLEW OF PROBS WITH RAMP PERSONNEL AT DIFFERENT LOCATIONS LATELY; LEADING ME TO BELIEVE WE HAD BETTER GET OUR ACT TOGETHER BEFORE WE INJURE OR KILL SOMEONE; OR HAVE A HULL LOSS. TODAY'S RAMP PERSONNEL ARE VERY DIFFERENT FROM YRS PAST. THEY USED TO BE CAREER MAINT PEOPLE WITH A BROAD VIEW OF WHAT WAS GOING ON AROUND THEM. TODAY'S RAMP PEOPLE ARE LESS LIKELY TO BE CAREER PEOPLE AND DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH SITUATIONAL AWARENESS TO REALIZE THE DANGER THEY CAN BE IN. I WENT TO THE RAMP SHACK TO REQUEST A SUPVR AND THE LEAD LAID INTO ME WITH BOTH BARRELS. HE HAD ALL KINDS OF EXCUSES AND WAS TRYING TO BLAME ME! HE WOULDN'T CALL A SUPVR; SO I WENT UPSTAIRS AND CALLED FOR ONE. 2 SUPVRS SHOWED UP AND LISTENED WITH GREAT CONCERN TO WHAT I SAID. I HAVE NO ANGER AND AM NOT LOOKING FOR SOMEONE TO BE DISCIPLINED. WHAT I SEEK; IS EDUCATION AND PROPER TRAINING BEFORE WE KILL SOMEONE.

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.