Don't let the marshaller fool you

 

 

Don't let the marshaller fool you, even though we are on the same team, working towards the common goal of ensuring a safe flight. Sometimes, the marshaller appears to be rushing to provide the marshalling signal.

According to ICAO Annex 2 documents, there is a standard marshalling signal from a signalman to an aircraft. Moving straight ahead is indicated by extending arms at the elbows and moving wands up and down from chest height to head.

The stop signal is divided into normal stop and emergency stop. For a normal stop, fully extend arms and wands at a 90 degree angle to the sides and slowly move them above the head until wands cross.

In the case of an emergency stop, abruptly extend arms and wands to the top of the head, crossing the wands.

Even though there are two types of stop signals, there is no mention of the aircraft's speed when guided straight in by the signalman.

This implies that a fast moving wand signal does not necessarily mean the aircraft should taxi at high speed or that there is enough distance to come to a stop.

It is challenging for the pilot to determine the exact stop position when guided.

 Although the signalman usually lowers the speed of moving wands as the aircraft approaches the final stop position, it is not guaranteed to happen consistently.

Sometimes, but rarely, the signalman keeps moving wands very fast until the last moment, even as the aircraft approaches the stop position. 

In such cases, the pilot might mistakenly believe there is sufficient distance to the stop position and continue taxiing without reducing speed. A small difference in speed, even 2~3 knots, can make a significant impact when approaching a stop position.

In instances where the marshaller signals with a fast speed until the last moment, the pilot should exercise caution and slow down further to avoid being rushed by the marshaller.

If the signalman does not give a normal stop sign, the pilot may have to stop suddenly, risking crossing the stop line. Crossing the stop line may necessitate towing the aircraft again, incurring costs for the airline. The pilot may also need to explain or report the situation later.

Making a sudden stop jeopardizes passengers' comfort and safety. Therefore, pilots should be cautious and not expect the marshaller to always give a normal stop sign or slow down the moving speed of the wands consistently as the aircraft approaches a stop position.

Some airlines specifically restrict the taxi speed when the aircraft approaches a certain remaining distance. However, pilots still find it challenging to determine the exact remaining distance to a stop position.

 

Especially when the signalman appears hurried and moves wands very quickly, pilots should further reduce the aircraft's speed to prevent feeling rushed by the marshaller.

 

 

 

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Disclaimer:

▪︎This content is Not an official document and does not represent the views of Airbus or any other aviation authority.

▪︎The information provided may be incorrect or misinterpreted and should not be relied upon for decision-making. 

▪︎Always refer to official documents and consult with a qualified aviation professional before making any decisions based on the information provided in this blog post.

▪︎The information provided in this blog post is based on personal study and review.