Hi,Why do some airlines use a "thumbs up" routine during taxi? I know that a thumbs up normally is used when stopping in front of the marshaller, but not during taxi as on the pictures below.Any constructive ideas of this procedure?http://www.scandicair.com/images/sa_banner.gifMy specs are:Dell Dimension 4600 P4/2.8 at 3.0 Ghz1024 Mb DDR333 Dual channel memory (2x256,1x512)256 Mb ATI Radeon X850 Pro ViVo, flashed to a X850 XT PE. Catalyst 5.9ATITool V0.24DirectX 9.0cW XP Home with SP2E171FPb Flat panel monitor 17"370Gb HD (120 GB Maxtor, 250GB Samsung) 7200rpm ATA Lacie 250Gb Extern HDhttp://forums.avsim.net/user_files/150864.jpghttp://forums.avsim.net/user_files/150865.jpg

After the engines are started and pushback is complete, the pilot usually asks to go to hand signals after the pushback crew disconnects. This is most likely the case in pic1. In pic2, I assume that the FO signals the pushback crew to connect, but it seems that they're already in the process of pushing back (or pulling in upon arrival?), so it's hard to tell.Hope this helps.

The thumb is kept up as a sign to the captain that the right side of the plane is clear during taxi.

A thumbs up is a visual "Yes" and thumbs down is a visual "No"I've even seen it used in a cockpit between members of commercial flight crews.ATC issues a new "Direct to" for a waypoint, skipping a couple in the STAR. The FO prepares the FMS and gives the PIC a thumbs up that the ATC instruction has been entered. The PIC gives a thumbs up to execute the change.It's not very hard to think of many instances on the ground and in flight where a visual thumbs up is a faster way to communicate, less prone to misinterpretation than the spoken voice, and less distracting.

OK, Thanks guys.The two pictures shows when the aircraft actually is taxiing, and not during push back.The pictures are from the Nordic Leisure MD-80 DVD. Seams strange if the first officer have to signal a right side clear during the taxiing. Is that a very common thing? I have also noticed the same routine on other DVDs from Just Planes.http://www.scandicair.com/images/sa_banner.gifMy specs are:Dell Dimension 4600 P4/2.8 at 3.0 Ghz1024 Mb DDR333 Dual channel memory (2x256,1x512)256 Mb ATI Radeon X850 Pro ViVo, flashed to a X850 XT PE. Catalyst 5.9ATITool V0.24DirectX 9.0cW XP Home with SP2E171FPb Flat panel monitor 17"370Gb HD (120 GB Maxtor, 250GB Samsung) 7200rpm ATA Lacie 250Gb Extern HD

It could be ground vehicles, another plane, his wife on the tarmac - anything. It's hard to speculate without seeing the whole picture.

I suspect he's riding along with a Captain he doesn't like, and he's trying to hitch a ride elsewhere.Or, maybe we can't see the cast on his upper arm broken from a freakish fall over a copy of the "Da Vinci Code" accidentally left in the aisle by a passenger on a previous flight.Or, perhaps the thumb is more prominent than the middle finger when someone cuts ya off on taxiway Bravo.-John

Hi StaffanKyle has the correct response!!!!RegardsWayne