Hi,

 

Recently I discovered that when the temperature is below 10 degress, GSX tells you to start engines after the pushback is completed due to icing contiditons. So my question is, do they not start engines until after pushback if icing conditions are present in real life? And if so, why is that? I don't understand how it can make any difference if you start the engines during pushback, or after the pushback.

 

Thanks in advance

Nobody knows? I'm just going to take a couple of guesses.

 

One possibility is that engine thrust even at idle might make the aircraft difficult to push back if the tug can't get enough traction on an icy or snow-covered surface.

 

In addition engine inlet de-icing sometimes takes place after pushback but before start. The pushback puts the aircraft into a position away from the gate where the de-icing can occur. De-icing at the gate might also cause slippery conditions for the tug so that's a reason to push the aircraft away from the gate first.

Hi,

 

Recently I discovered that when the temperature is below 10 degress, GSX tells you to start engines after the pushback is completed due to icing contiditons. So my question is, do they not start engines until after pushback if icing conditions are present in real life? And if so, why is that? I don't understand how it can make any difference if you start the engines during pushback, or after the pushback.

 

Thanks in advance

I used to do that for a living and we never made the crew wait to start whether it was icy or not. Every airline has their own procedures though.

Thanks for the answers!

 

That more or less explains it