AIRPORT EMPLOYEE Ground Handling and Ramp Operations 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is a Marshaller's primary role during aircraft parking?
- Loading baggage onto the aircraft
- Guiding the aircraft to its parking position using standardized hand signals (Correct answer)
- Fueling the aircraft
- Checking passenger boarding passes
Correct answer: Guiding the aircraft to its parking position using standardized hand signals
A marshaller uses ICAO standardized hand signals to guide aircraft safely into the correct parking position on the ramp.
Question 2: What does a jet blast hazard mean for ramp employees?
- Jet fuel vapor that causes slippery ramp surfaces
- Extremely high-velocity hot air expelled from aircraft jet engines that can knock down or injure personnel (Correct answer)
- Electrical discharge from aircraft fueling systems
- Excessive noise from engine testing
Correct answer: Extremely high-velocity hot air expelled from aircraft jet engines that can knock down or injure personnel
Jet blast is the powerful, hot air expelled by jet engines during taxi and thrust that can knock down people, move ground equipment, and cause serious injury.
Question 3: What is the purpose of chocking an aircraft on the ramp?
- To mark the aircraft's assigned parking spot
- To prevent the aircraft from rolling by placing wedge-shaped blocks against the wheels (Correct answer)
- To secure cargo doors open during loading
- To align the aircraft with the jet bridge
Correct answer: To prevent the aircraft from rolling by placing wedge-shaped blocks against the wheels
Chocks are wedge-shaped blocks placed against aircraft tires to prevent the aircraft from rolling forward or backward while parked.
Question 4: What does the term 'pushback' mean in ramp operations?
- Returning passenger baggage to the terminal
- Using a towbar or pushback tug to move an aircraft backward from the gate before taxi (Correct answer)
- Refusing boarding to passengers
- Reversing a baggage conveyor belt
Correct answer: Using a towbar or pushback tug to move an aircraft backward from the gate before taxi
Pushback is the procedure where a ground support tug pushes an aircraft backward from the gate to a position where it can begin taxiing under its own power.
Question 5: What is the standard practice for communicating a 'wing walk' during aircraft parking?
- One employee walks ahead of the aircraft alone
- Designated wing walkers are positioned at each wingtip to monitor clearance and signal the marshaller of any obstructions (Correct answer)
- The pilot handles wingtip clearance from the cockpit
- Wing walkers are only required for widebody aircraft
Correct answer: Designated wing walkers are positioned at each wingtip to monitor clearance and signal the marshaller of any obstructions
Wing walkers are stationed at each wingtip to monitor clearance from obstacles and communicate any hazards to the marshaller during aircraft parking.
Question 6: When is it safe for ramp employees to approach an aircraft?
- As soon as the aircraft comes to a stop
- After the engines have spun down, chocks are in place, and the marshaller or crew gives an all-clear signal (Correct answer)
- Once the seatbelt sign is turned off
- Immediately after the aircraft parks at the gate
Correct answer: After the engines have spun down, chocks are in place, and the marshaller or crew gives an all-clear signal
Ramp employees must wait until engines have stopped, chocks are placed, and an all-clear is given before approaching, to avoid jet blast and propeller injuries.
AIRPORT EMPLOYEE Ground Handling and Ramp Operations 1
What is a Marshaller's primary role during aircraft parking?