Marshaller with arms crossed against chest.
Thread Starter

Joined: Dec 2000
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Marshaller with arms crossed against chest.
How would you interpret this?
I saw this recently where the orange batons were crossed against his orange safety vest at chest height and I couldn’t really see.
Would you interpret this as “stop” or we are not ready or something else?
Thanks
I saw this recently where the orange batons were crossed against his orange safety vest at chest height and I couldn’t really see.
Would you interpret this as “stop” or we are not ready or something else?
Thanks
Thread Starter

Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 18
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 17,732
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From: Reading, UK
Possible explanations:
(a) you were on an aircraft carrier at the time
(b) the marshaller was practising for the introduction of the 777-X



Joined: May 2000
Posts: 3,204
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From: Seattle
I have seen marshallers 'park' the crossed wands over their chest, holding them in 1 hand, after stopping an airplane. The intent was to have the airplane hold there, often while chocks were being put in place.
May not be 'official', but more common than you might think...
May not be 'official', but more common than you might think...


Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 1,167
Likes: 180
From: USA
One of the few times I found the Spanish way better than the US way. In Spain the direction of the push is in reference to the nose, so easy to point to your nose, and to the required direction outside. Now I have to get up to point at my a$$ when using hand signals....
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 82
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From: Cloud 9
If it gets more complicated (long push, push on a specific line etc.), I just open the window and shout. Not the most elegant solution, but it works
Last edited by Pander216; 16th November 2019 at 17:49.

Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 852
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From: Utopia
It means that he understands that you don't really give a sh@t about his guidance and he's just trying to confirm this by doing something weird. I would simply proceed and park my plane where you think it should be, shut down the engines and leave the rest for the ground crew to fix. Most airlines don't pay enough anymore for these types of concerns. Clear enough?
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 479
Likes: 97
From: USA
It means that he understands that you don't really give a sh@t about his guidance and he's just trying to confirm this by doing something weird. I would simply proceed and park my plane where you think it should be, shut down the engines and leave the rest for the ground crew to fix. Most airlines don't pay enough anymore for these types of concerns. Clear enough?
(even though we aren’t equipped with the option)

Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 11
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From: Taxiway Y1
This works well in Euroland. In the US they want to know which way the tail goes so...


Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 1,146
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From: Skating away on the thin ice of a new day.
Speaking about marshalling, how does one indicate the direction of a push to ground personnel via hand signals from the cockpit?
Have used the same to the tug driver in the event of a change during push back.
Obviously verbal via a headset is best, but if it fails, something like the above may help.

Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 2,349
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From: Tring, UK
Ah yes. Marshalling. It runs the whole gamut from LHR BAA, resplendent in their Day-Glo livery, exuding authority and purpose through every degree-perfect twist of their spotless batons, to the guy in Abuja who dropped his gear and ran away as soon as it got difficult.
I find the USA falls between these two extremes but I’m never sure if a particular marshaller knows the difference between “identify gate” and “move ahead” as they appear to use these signals interchangeably...
I find the USA falls between these two extremes but I’m never sure if a particular marshaller knows the difference between “identify gate” and “move ahead” as they appear to use these signals interchangeably...





