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Italy was worth the wait

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Spirit had a good one this morning, as their business partner jacknifed this A320 so badly on a "Follow Me Out" disconnect, it got an audience.

The driver initially followed the airport truck out, but instead of actually dropping on the designated spot pointed out by the airports guy, continued following his pickup.

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So, the CA wingwalker naturally ran at full speed toward his colleagues, shouting obscenities... after seeing his pushback driver nearing a running engine,

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..Just threw up an X aaaaand walked away.

A few other personnel came out on TuGs, on the taxiway, and just admired the towbar facing engine 2, with a pushback nearly at the FWD cargo door, for something like 15-20 minutes.

Happy Monday!
 
Spirit had a good one this morning, as their business partner jacknifed this A320 so badly on a "Follow Me Out" disconnect, it got an audience.

The driver initially followed the airport truck out, but instead of actually dropping on the designated spot pointed out by the airports guy, continued following his pickup.

View attachment 61150

So, the CA wingwalker naturally ran at full speed toward his colleagues, shouting obscenities... after seeing his pushback driver nearing a running engine,

View attachment 61149

..Just threw up an X aaaaand walked away.

A few other personnel came out on TuGs, on the taxiway, and just admired the towbar facing engine 2, with a pushback nearly at the FWD cargo door, for something like 15-20 minutes.

Happy Monday!
I once had a 757 get away from me on pushback when I was driving the tug. It was not my fault and I was not penalized, scrutinized, suspended or fired. It's a long story.
 
So....you want to hear a story, eh?
It's not that exciting. When UPS started up their operation at KBUR I was the guy that would drive the tug after it was loaded and push the airplane onto the taxiway where they'd start the engines and taxi away. I was still in A/P school at that time so I was friendly with the UPS mechanic there (yes, they only had one mechanic).

The pushback on the UPS ramp consisted of a left turn of about 190 degrees while going up a hill while their mechanic (we'll call him John, because that's his name) would walk along with a headset plugged into the intercom to speak to the cockpit. The tug I drove was a 4WD diesel powered enclosed cab monster that weighed (I think) 50,000 lbs. With the airplane heavy it took a lot of what that tug had to get it up the hill and turn it around in a fairly small space. It only took a couple of months for the rubber to build up providing proof that I was actually sliding the front end as the airplane went backwards up the hill.

I think the UPS guys got a bonus for any decrease in time spent on the ground (yes, I know about UPS and UPSCO). John was a very shrewd individual and wanted every single penny he could get from UPS so he started having the pilots start the engines during the pushback, which probably explains the skid marks from the tug. But it never felt dangerous or out of control, just a little more wheel and a little more right pedal would always get us onto the taxiway. Until it didn't.

One rainy night in December (the push/airplane's heavy) as I was starting to pushback the airplane up the hill and turn it to my left John told the crew to start the #2 engine, it was more than the tug could handle. The airplane literally picked up the front end of the tug and jackknifed it and the tow bar, breaking all of the shear bolts that ensure the airplane doesn't get damaged.

It was a mess, trying to get everything unbound enough to disconnect and replace the shear bolts took about an hour and then I finished pushing the airplane out. I think it left about an 1 1/2 hour late during the holiday season, not good. John took the flak, it was his call. We never started the engines until we were off the ramp afterwards.
 
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