Clear Left(side)
 

So Airbus want us to say "Clear LeftSIDE" before taxi.
After clearing LEFT for thirty years I really find this a bit too much to swallow.
Anybody like to give me some inkling of the logic for this stupidity? If there is any?

How about the new "STALL TOGA 15º" callout?

Howzabout "Clear to left wingtip" by Capt/lhs occupant, and "Clear to right wingtip" by F/O or rhs occupant?

Most F/Os I fly with are not ex-military and don't seem to appreciate the "enemy", in the form of civil airport ground traffic, can appear at great speed from ones aircraft 4 o'clock or 8 o'clock.

If I can't see F/Os right ear, nor he my left ear when we look out, then the job has not been done properly!

And it permits one to check the LEDs are drooping, so we don't have yet another Madrid or similar accident, though theoretically the "config" warning will save the day?

However, it also stops one taxying without flap which is FDM marker and therefore another visit to "the office" for tea, NO biscuits............. :)

I'm sorry, but isn't that sort of obvious? Your FO's need to be told to check the wingtip?

Killaroo,

Forgive me, because I've never flown an Airbus, but what exactly do they hope to accomplish by saying "clear left side", that can't be done with "clear left"?

Also, does your company have to change the calls just because Airbus calls have changed? Surely such trivial and non-technical things can be considered technique and not procedure?

That's exactly what I'm asking!
I'm beginning to believe there's actually a weird element of brainwashing in this stuff now. I was pulled up on it recently by a Line Trainer fresh out of Law School. He should have stayed there.
Then again....maybe he's perfect for Airbus Ops.

Nonsense. That's not the Stall Recovery Procedure anymore!
Unless they've changed it again. The constantly moving target.

Not Airbus but it means we'll have to open the CV windows and stick our head out, if we want to see the wing/wingtip. Wonder who'll be watching where we're going? :ooh:

Have to watch out for the enemy while i'm taxiing Barking Mad, if I only had a couple of Brownings to 'take them out' but i'm just a civilian type :rolleyes:

Seems like a sensible low cost check'n'call to me, just to make sure the ground guy and associated equipment are clear.

Heard of an episode recently where the crew thought the ground guy had disconnected, to be met with yells over the i/c as the engines spooled up - close one :mad:

JDI!!
Reminds me of Cathay training :)

Oh come on, for goodness sake!! It's not about the CHECK it's about the MOUTH MUSIC. THE CALLOUT. Don't be kefuddled!

Basil, What's JDI?
I'm guessing - "Just Do It"?

It's sick that this profession is being dumbed down to this level. I'm glad ill be gone in a year. God help the newbies.

I'm puzzled - what is the issue? As said, it is the actual confirmation that all is clear that is important, not 'the words'. If this 'wordage' is put forward as a new 'mandatory' call, either 'JDI' or rebel (but DO check, of course), in which case I ask what are the penalties for such a revolt? If you get that anal TC, try 'Clear my side' or similar - and see if he/she has a stroke.:)

Killaroo - "I'm guessing - "Just Do It"?" -Yes, re-inforced by 'JFDI'.

When the imbeciles at AB, try and tell us their A380 is "uncrashable", what do you expect? Sanity?

The New master race of Europe are coming out with a lot of nonsense these days.

Killaroo,
Mouth music and kefuddled, like it.
Seriously, the check is the thing for sure, but the words (whatever they may be!) serve three key purposes in my mind: communication to the other crewie that the area they cannot see is clear, a trigger for him to also check should he be otherwise distracted and coordination such that more than idle thrust is not commanded and movement attempted until both crew see the area as clear.

Arguably, verbalizing checks probably also increases the likelihood they they are done at all.

Found back your cave yet?:E

Clear left, right?
 

Could it be that someone is recognising the ambiguity of the English word "right"?

Presumably in the same list of standard callouts the copilot is being asked to call "clear right side", rather than "clear right"? The latter is capable of being misinterpreted as "clear...right?".

I prefer the expressions left-hand and right-hand. Even better are the old-fashioned terms port and starb'd, but they don't teach sensible things like that any more...

right clear? clear right

left clear? clear left

Well at least that's a stab at a reasonable explanation. Thanks. And yes, the FO call is 'Right-side'. Although actually, I'm not sure if its hyphenated. I better rush off and dig out my FCOMs to check that.







Just kidding.




Clear LEFT.
I'm a rebel. So fire me.

OK then - "Clear starboard!"
Although, I don't believe we ever had a steorbord on the RHS on aeroplanes :}

It's a common mistake to believe that Airbus (let alone their lawyers) speak / understand "English", or that their manuals are written in it.

Basil,
Not quite! "Clear starb'd..." is more succinct. As an aside - picking up on your "steerboard" reference - I seem to remember that the nautical people originally used "larboard" for "left". Due to the possible verbal confusion with "starboard", it was wisely changed to "port" (which was usualy on the left side when docking).

BOAC,
Yes, why not "JDI", provided it's safe. After all, they took the shilling...

Quote from AB:
It's a common mistake to believe that Airbus (let alone their lawyers) speak / understand "English", or that their manuals are written in it.

Don't know how much you've been exposed to AI material. There has often been room for improvement, but I call that a cheap shot - and so populist on this forum.

Do try to make a positive contribution, old man... ;)