Clear on two?

[Tomaz Drnovsek 440]

I always wondered what exactly does this mean. What confuses me that both, CPT and FO both say "Clear on two". If it's about engines, why are they both talking about number two? I'd expect FO to say "Clear on one". Or is it about something completely different? Or FO just confirms what I say?

[byork 2,259]

Hi Tomas,

I asked our Dash 8 consultant the same question when I was coding FS2Crew for the Dash 8.

He said it's just a confirmation call.

 

[Chock 17,769]

In my experience, most pushbacks of Dash 8s and ATRs are straight back, however, sometimes there is a turn, and if that is the case, occasionally some airlines have a procedure where the headset person is on a particular side of the aircraft regardless of which side the headset socket is on (KLM and Air France for example). The reason behind walking on a different side of the aircraft to where the headset socket is located during pushback can be twofold; it can mean the headset person may be able to better see behind the aircraft during the turn on the pushback to ensure that things are clear, but also, if there is a tight turn, it can help to ensure the headset person is not getting too near a propeller, which they might be when on the 'inside' of a turn. So it can be the case that someone in the cockpit who is used to seeing the headset person, might not be able to on occasion, and that can be a bit disconcerting and it can reduce situational awareness, which is not good.

When I was doing headset training a few years back, the official title for a headset person (on the paperwork at least, not that anyone ever used that term in practice) was the 'engine start master'. This is because until the aeroplane is all disconnected and the tug is clear, it is the responsibility of the headset person to ensure its maneuvering and engine starts are done safely, since the crew cannot normally see their engines very easily. So in practice, an engine should never be started, nor a prop brake disengaged unless the headset person has cleared the crew to do so either with a hand signal or a verbal instruction and it is why the headset person monitors the engine starts as well. Hand signals incidentally, are always used when there is the possibility of lightning strikes, since you don't want someone connected to the aircraft by a headset wire if the aircraft is hit by a lightning bolt. Actually, we sometimes just use hand signals on smaller airliners such as the Dornier 328 anyway since it is so small that the pilots can easily see hand signals. Not only this, the Dornier 328 has an unusual connector panel which requires a the headset to utilise a splitter adapter with two different-sized jack plugs, and if someone has forgotten to bring that adapter out to the aeroplane, you can't plug the headset in!

As noted, on some aircraft it can be difficult to see the pushback crew from the cockpit and it may also be the case that only one pilot is in contact with the headset person to hear the call that they are clear to crank the engines, or if both pilots look out of their windows and at least one of them sees the headset guy alongside the cockpit, they will both know the guy is clear of the engines and if they both confirm this verbally. So it can help to keep things safe by saying stuff which on the face of it might seem a bit redundant.

If you ever headset out a propeller aircraft, you will soon appreciate that being near those propellers is not a situation where you want to take any chances with safety!

[vc10man 732]

How coincidental this thread. @Bryan, just out of interest, is there a delay between the PM and PF, because despite switching off the APU, Main Bus Ties, etc, he(EU) still asks, 'Are you sure?'

[byork 2,259]

8 hours ago, vc10man said:

How coincidental this thread. @Bryan, just out of interest, is there a delay between the PM and PF, because despite switching off the APU, Main Bus Ties, etc, he(EU) still asks, 'Are you sure?'

Delay where exactly?  Need more info to I can I spot the section in the code.

[vc10man 732]

1 hour ago, byork said:

Delay where exactly?  Need more info to I can I spot the section in the code.

Thanks, Bryan. Maybe I will re-do the 'test', so to speak. It could well be that the PF was a second or two out of sync when the PM asked 'Are you sure?'. I'll try and re-enact the same scenario but sort of second-guess the PM and be ready for him. If he still asks 'Are you sure' after the PF have already switched off the APU and the Main Bus Tie, etc, etc, I will get back here.

[vc10man 732]

Delete my question, Bryan, as I found out it was my fault. I was a tad slow before the PM called out the checks and hence got the , 'Are you sure?'.

[byork 2,259]

No worries, rick 🙂