“Uh Seattle Ops, we’re still waitin’ on the fuelers…”

I may be showing my ass here, but is that fuel hose in the photo in the article?

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I note a few things from the Teamsters Local 174 page:

Their press release warning before the strike vote depicts the correct kind of hoser.

Air Travel Through SeaTac Airport in Jeopardy as Aircraft Fueler Strike Looms | Teamsters Local Union No. 174

With an expired contract and negotiations at a standstill, Teamsters Local 174 members at Swissport could strike as soon as May 6 The number of aircraft moving through SeaTac airport could come to a screeching halt as soon as Tuesday, after 150 Teamsters working for Swissport vote to authorize a...
teamsters174.net teamsters174.net

Also that the Local 174 involves a whole host of industries, with airlines being a small portion. The link to the “airline division” on their page is broken; unclear if due to ham-fisted original implementation, or recent revision.

Woebetide whoever Swissport thinks they’re going to truck-in to scab.
 
Boris Badenov said:
Ah, the huffer. Back when dinosaurs ruled the earth and Brown had a gleaming fleet of DC-8s, that was the *standard* way of starting an engine. And the mechanics weren't getting near that nozzle, that was for the Peasants to stow. Might even have a still have a scar or two, as evidence.
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I miss those beautiful machines! (The -8s, not the huffer carts)
 
Boris Badenov said:
Ah, the huffer. Back when dinosaurs ruled the earth and Brown had a gleaming fleet of DC-8s, that was the *standard* way of starting an engine. And the mechanics weren't getting near that nozzle, that was for the Peasants to stow. Might even have a still have a scar or two, as evidence.
Click to expand...

Do a search on a DC-9 “buddy start”
 
Richman said:
Do a search on a DC-9 “buddy start”
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Richman said:
It goes like this....

You get a "buddy" DC-9. Can be running the APU...or just running. Connect the pneumatic hose from the pneumatic port on one DC-9 to the other. Apply bleed air. Start. Done. Laugh politely at 100th innuendo laced joke from the CA about this process.

Or, you can just roll the first DC-9 down a hill and let the clutch out.

As for powerbacks...they go like this:

1) Wait for rampers to show up to give you the spinning finger.
2) Point out that rampers have no safety goggles.
3) Wait 5 minutes while rampers go find safety goggles.
4) Ramper finally gives you the finger, the stars align and you actually have the required wing walkers.
5) Start both engines.
6) Roll forward a bit to "get off the flat spots"
7) Set 1.4 EPR ("1.4 feet on the floor"). Remind self to keep away from the brakes.
8) Much sound and fury, and a vortex of sand, crap and debris swirl around the airplane.
9) FINALLY start creeping backwards at a clam's pace. Remind self to keep away from the brakes.
10) Pray that the ramper is paying attention, and not direcrting you into a culvert, ditch or other immovable object.
11) When enough groundhogs have been deafened by the sound and fury from #7, GENTLY come out of reverse and use a touch of thrust to stop. Remind self to keep away from the brakes.
12) Observe, with some satisfaction, that the fuel you just burned could have powered a tug until the heat death of the universe.
13) Proceed onwards to a life of religious fulfillment.

Note: All of the above are done with hand signals.

The 727 version of this was similar, except:
5a) Remember to remind the FE to turn the packs off
8a) Much more sound and fury.
9a) Backwards movement is 1/10 of a clam's pace.
11a) Remember to remind the FE turn backs back on.

Richman
Click to expand...
 
Richman said:
Do a search on a DC-9 “buddy start”
Click to expand...
Early Gulfstream jets had that as an option, I can't remember at what point they stopped doing it, the newer airplanes had check valves and despite your best efforts you could only receive and never deliver. I think that's because the APUs were more reliable. Not to mention no one is carrying around a hose for those sorts of operations.
 
I attempted to suffer start a Hornet once. I might be the only one in history. We have an APU purely for engine starts and nothing else (other than a theoretical aux cooling capability that nobody has ever attempted). I heard it was loud. It didn't result in either engine starting. Was a fuel controller failure in the end. Had the jet not been broken, I have no doubt it could have done the job. Stories you have at the end of an airshow when some old guy is like "oh we have a huffer in this old hangar over here" and LT me is like "oh sounds good, don't have a checklist for that, but ill throw the engine crank switch when you say when"
 
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