I work in India.
Standards here are awful.
I refer you to my post #42.
In the confused and confusing condition referred to by HJS Bhullar earlier, my advice is even more relevant.

You simply cannot see whether the ground crew are clear, from the cockpit.

You MUST wait for that 'thumbs up' from the pushback crew before doing the after start cx.

Then, and only then, Do the 'after start checks' and after that, call for taxi.

I know this from hard experience, and only good luck saved me when my FO, who was in a hurry, called for taxi early to try to beat someone to the hold.

It's insidious, but stick to these rules and you'll never have to explain why you ran a guy over, who was removing the chocks, or why that guy got sucked into your engine.

WAIT, for the clearance from the ground crew.

DO, the after starts.

Then, call for taxi.

That'll be 100 rupees from all who read this post- and a bloody bargain it is too!:=

Bhullars version is not correct. The captain was scheduled Mumbai/rajkot /Mumbai/Hyd. He was in a flaming hurry and as a result did not wait for ground waveoff,asked for taxi and asked f/o for right wing tip clearance and opened power resulting in the tragedy.The inexperience of the f/o was a contributory factor.
Atom you are right. Take care.

What do you all think of the policy in my company which dictates that - at a certain airport in China - we should not start the APU after landing, but taxi in and park on gate with both running (for noise and pollution reduction reasons), and wait for external power, which always takes several minutes to actually connect?
Personally I think it's an accident waiting to happen, and a self defeating policy anyhow. Two big engines running for two minutes versus an APU running for maybe 4 or 5 minutes!

Algol
I gave up that practise at AGP when they initiated the APU ban on terminal stands. Lots of persons running around in front of two RB 211's IMHO only a matter of time before catastrophic accident. Ground personnel wearing ear defenders & being chased to get the turn around done crazy SOP.

This might have already been suggested - I haven't the time right now to check the whole thread - but I had a thought today as I did my walkaround.

On the engines there is a pictogram showing the minimum safe distance from the (running) engine intake one should be. On the A321 with V2500 engines I flew today it says no closer than 15' or 5 meters with engine at idle. However, the warning is on the engine itself which is not much use to ramp workers, because if they are close enough to read the warning they are probably too close for safety.

What is needed is some sort of semi-circular marking on the underneath and sides of the fuselage behind the nose-wheel, aft of which one should never go if the engines are running. Pushback crew would be able to clearly see the line from the front and sides of the aircraft and be told never to go further backwards towards running engines than that line.

This might improve safety but would not prevent a problem if the aircraft moved forwards before the crews were clear. I can't remember which, but I have been to an airfield where the headset person places a chock in front of the nose wheel after pushback until they are fully disconnected, and as they are walking clear, they pull the chock with them, thus preventing the aircraft running forwards until they are safe.

The old BA 737-300s used to have the fuselage red line I think.

As for the chock. Swssport at MAN do that. Not sure I like it as it has been left behind and just become a FOD nuisance. (It's also against MAN Airport's standing instructions too but no one seems bothered)

Yeah, but both those problems are a minor risk and infinitely preferable to what happened to that poor sod in India.......

I will only permit one engine start prior to push back, the stress on a tow bar can be excessive and I have seen shear pins do their job. Tow bar less tugs are programmed to the stresses exerted specific by aircraft at MTOW w/o engines running.

Very basic ! you can't start two engines because you wouldn't be able to disconnect airstart without going into danger zone of running engine to disconnect airstart.............

This is also an airport regulation at ARN. We ignore it. Our system wide policy is that all ground staff stand behind the red line (on the ramp) until the anti-collision beacons are off. If the crew need ground power before this they must radio in to the handlers,

Why can't airports and airlines get together and agree some rules. Whatever the handlers do, one or the other will tell them off.

Lapses By Pilots Led to Death of Air India Technician, Investigators Conclude
 

FYI,

I saw this article today from 08-24-16.

Lapses by pilots led to death of AI technician, investigators conclude
......

:ugh:
Ya think?? SOP's??We don't need no stinking SOP's....

What a tragedy. Bottom line is nothing to be gained, ever, from rushing.

This part is rich. Can't make this stuff up!

Talk about CRM! On a serious note, if this report is in any way accurate, it only strengthens my resolve to not rush when at work. The risk isn't nearly worth the reward.

What sort of Airline has the pilots who are ultimately responsible for the safety of those on and around the aircraft , running around like blue-arsed flies? If gate staff, operations staff, cabin crew, engineering.....anyone puts pressure on you to hurry up, just tell them that the more they hassle the slower you go. Airline management need to be careful when they create/support a culture of On time performance being king.