Presentation by:
THEOPHILUS BASSEY
CONCEPTUAL ANALYSIS
Aircraft Marshalling Services in the airside (apron) falls under ground handling operations. The term ground handling, as defined by ICAO, include services necessary for an aircraft’s arrival at, and departure from, an airport other than Air Traffic Services (ATS). It refers to a wide range of services provided to facilitate an aircraft flight or aircraft ground positioning, repositioning, preparation for, and upon conclusion of a flight. Ground handling also include Customer care services, Maintenance and ramp services such as de-icing, water and lavatory services, Refueling, Baggage handling services and Marshalling services.
But for the purpose of this presentation, we shall focus solely on one aspect of ramp (ground) services: Aircraft Marshalling.
AIRCRAFT MARSHALLER
An Aircraft Marshaller, also known as Flight Line Signalman is a trained professional who provides visual signals to Pilots in an airport, aircraft carrier or helipad. A Marshaller can be a male or female.
A WINGWALKER
A Wingwalker, which is at times, loosely known as a Wing-tip Clearance-man, is a 2nd or 3rd Marshaller who signals Pilots, Marshaller-in-comand, and/or a Push-back Operator that the part of an apron through which the wing-tip of a manoeuvring aircraft sweeps, is totally clear of obstruction.
APRON
This is where a Marshaller majorly performs his duty. Also known as a ramp and flight-line, the apron is defined as an area of an airport where aircrafts are parked, unloaded or loaded, refuelled, boarded and maintained. It can also be looked at as, according to ICAO, ‘a defined area on a land aerodrome, intended to accommodate aircraft for the purposes of loading or unloading passengers, mail or cargo, refueling, parking or maintenance.’
MARSHALLING EQUIPMENT
- Reflective Safety Vest
- Marshalling Wand
- Earmuff
- Reflective Hand Gloves
- Helmet
- Radio (ground-ground and ground-air)
- A Checkerboard Pattern Follow-Me Pickup Van
It is important to note that in some busy airports, Automated Visual Docking Guidance System (AVDGS) is deployed to perform a marshaller’s job.
MARSHALLING SERVICES/DUTY OF A MARSHALLER
- Routine airside inspection
- Signaling the Pilot to indicate a gate
- Signaling the Pilot for forward movement
- Signaling the Pilot for rearward movement
- Signaling the Pilot for sideward movement
- Signaling the Pilot for left and right turn
- Signaling the Pilot for engine start-up
- Signaling the Pilot for engine shut down
- Signaling the Pilot for application of brake
- Signaling the Pilot for insertion and removal of chocks
- Signaling the Pilot for the application of ground power equipment
- Signaling the Pilot to taxiway upon departure
- Signaling the Pilot for a standard salutation upon aircraft dispatch
- Maintaining adequate radio communication with relevant ground Units
- Documentation of flights data and any incident/accident of operational concern
RISKS OF WORKING AS A MARSHALLER
An aircraft marshaller faces a lot of risk in the course of discharging his/her duty which are, but not limited to:
- Hearing impairment
- Physical injury in case of accident
- Constant exposure to harsh environmental weather conditions
- Exposure to electro-magnetic waves from aircrafts and related gadgets
CONCLUSION
Aircraft marshalling is a very critical and technical job in the aviation industry and as such, must be carried out by a trained marshalling officer in accordance with ICAO’s SARP.
REFERENCE
- en.wikipedia.org
- www.aviationjobsearch.com
- ICAO Annex II
