Chocking and Marker Cones Placement and Cabin Door Operations

Chocking and Marker Cones Placement

Flight crew has overall responsibility for the aeroplane, giving the orders to place and remove chocks, controlling brake/parking brake and communicating with ATC.

Ramp Agent has responsibility for ground movement control/marshalling, wing-walking, actual placement and removal of chocks and marker cones.

• Responsible Person: coordinates the placement and removal of chocks and marker cones.
• Headset Operator: ground personnel in verbal communication with flight crew via headset connected to aeroplane. The Headset Operator is usually also the Responsible Person.
• Wing walker (as applicable): ground personnel responsible for the placement and removal of chocks and marker cones.

Chocks shall be placed in the following sequence:

• At the nose landing wheels after the aeroplane has come to a complete stop and signal for placing the chocks given by the Commander;
• At the main landing wheels after engines are shut down and anti-collision light switched off.

Note: Staff or equipment should never be within 5 m of the air intakes of an engine that is running, or about to be started. When, it is necessary to approach the nose section of an aeroplane with its engines running, there shall always be voice communication with the flight crew, by means of a headset.

The Commander shall be informed about the proper positioning of the wheel chocks, via the interphone.

Chocks, when positioned, should be parallel to the wheel axle and only lightly touching the tyres.

In unfavourable ramp surface conditions, including but not limited to icy or sloped ramps, additional chocks are required to properly secure the aeroplane against movement.

In high wind conditions (steady wind or gusts above 40 knots), all wheel sets shall be chocked.

To request chock removal, headset communication using agreed upon phraseology is the preferred method. However, when hand signals are used, the following procedure is to be followed by ramp agent:

• The »Set Brakes« hand signal must be displayed. The flight crew will confirm (parking) brakes are set by displaying the »Set Brakes« hand signal in response;
• Then, the »Remove Chocks« hand signal shall be displayed. The flight crew will okay chock removal by displaying the »Remove Chocks« hand signal;
• The parking brake must be confirmed being set ON (light);
• The chocks shall be removed.

Note: The flight crew shall acknowledge the hand signals by repeating them before chock removal can be performed. If no acknowledgement is received, the chocks cannot be removed.

Wheel chocks shall be removed in the following sequence:

• At the main landing wheels prior to engine starting and after confirmation from the Commander that the parking brakes have been engaged;
• All the remaining chocks after signal for removing chocks given by Commander.

On arrival, before ground handling equipment and staff approach the aeroplane to start work, cones shall be placed a maximum of 1 metre in front of:

• Each wing tip immediately after the aeroplane is at its parking position;
• All wing-mounted engines;
• Other areas that are in conflict with the normal flow of equipment during ground handling.

Note: Where conditions are hazardous, for example during high winds, then cones should not be used.

Cones shall remain in place throughout the ground handling operation.
Cones should be removed:

• Just prior to commencement of push-back or engine start. Ground equipment shall be removed from aeroplane and stand area before removal of cones;
• After use, to a designated storage area;
• For the duration of de-icing/anti-icing operations performed at the parking bay.

Cones shall be replaced once de-icing/anti-icing operations have been completed.

Cabin Door Operations

Passenger cabin door shall not be opened, closed or left open without ground equipment in place to ensure safe operation and avoid damage; only trained personnel may operate cabin doors.

Positioning of Steps:

• Motorized steps shall not move towards the aeroplane until the aeroplane has come to a complete stop, chocks positioned, engines shut down, the aeroplane coned and the anticollision beacons switched OFF;
• As soon as service equipment is positioned at an aeroplane, the stabilisers shall be selected to the fully down position and firmly grounded, so as to raise the weight of the equipment off the wheels or castors;
• Protective rubber bumpers on equipment shall not be compressed against the aeroplane. A small gap of a maximum of 5 cm shall be left between the equipment and fuselage;
• To allow adequate clearance for outward opening cabin doors, full allowance shall be made for the vertical movement of an aeroplane when service equipment is positioned;
• The walking surfaces on passenger steps should be cleaned to ensure the surfaces are free from substances which could make the surfaces slippery (snow, ice, standing water, etc).

Cabin door opening:

• When doors are required to be opened from inside the aeroplane, confirmation that equipment is in position shall be given. This might be in the form of two knocks by hand on the outside of the door and/or a “thumbs up” signal;
• When doors are opened from the outside, the ground staff shall ensure that the passenger loading bridge or platform is securely in place. Two knocks shall be given to indicate to the cabin crew that the door is required to be opened. Cabin crew will provide confirmation to the ground staff to open the door by giving a “thumbs up” signal.

Note: Unauthorised operation of the cabin doors can result in deployment of the emergency escape slides, causing serious injury to personnel, damage to aeroplane, etc.

Cabin door closing:

• Before closing the cabin door, cabin crew and/or ground staff should look out for any possible obstructions around the door area that may hinder the closure of the door.

Retracting service equipment from cabin doors:

• Ground staff shall not attempt to lower a platform or remove service equipment positioned to cabin doors without first ensuring the door is fully closed, seated in the recess and the handle is stowed;
• Equipment stabilisers shall not be retracted in advance of the cabin door being fully closed;
• Before retracting service equipment to its approved parking position, the manoeuvring area shall be clear of all obstructions and personnel;
• After removing service equipment, the aeroplane door and fuselage shall be checked for damage. Any damage shall be reported.

Passenger Boarding / Disembarking

Boarding of passengers shall not commence without the clearance from the cabin crew or from the flight crew. Local procedure (if different from standard) shall contain regulations about the clearance for the boarding of passengers.

The passenger route shall be clearly visible, free of any equipment and surface condition kept clean. Passenger movement on the apron between the aeroplane and terminal building or bus shall always be supervised and/or escorted (if applicable).

If the bridge is being used it shall be positioned:

• And stabilised with parking brakes ON;
• At forward passenger cabin door, canopy extended to fit on all three sides of the aeroplane fuselage;
• With the cabin door closed, bridge platform levelled with door sill;
• That a protective rubber is not compressed against the aeroplane fuselage.

Passenger boarding equipment shall be:

• Removed after boarding is completed and passenger cabin doors closed; and
• Moved away to a ground equipment restraint area.

Note: Before removing ground equipment from the cabin door, the ramp agent shall advise the cabin crew. Ground support equipment shall not be removed unless a safety device has been put across the door opening or the door is being closed.