Requesting Start-up and Push back clearance (is this for all aircraft?)

[James Pimenta]

I noticed at Manchester UK  (EGCC)   I have to ask the controller for start-up and push back clearance.  I know this can be found in the Navigraph Airport Briefing (DEP) and is also said in the real world.

I know this is obvious for Passenger Airliners/Large Aircraft,  but surely for smaller aircraft that do not require push back, can they simply get away with just asking for a start-up request?  or am talking rubbish?

Edited February 20, 2021 at 06:58 PM by James Pimenta
spelling mistake

[Koen Meier]

if you are parked at an stand that uses a straightout taxi system you just request startup clearance. however do listen to ATC what they clear you for. 

[Tobias Dammers]

Took a quick look at the parking / docking chart, but there doesn't seem to be any stand from which you could do a taxi-out, they're all nose-in, except for the GA/Business aprons, which don't have any precisely designated parking areas.

The airport briefing says this on the matter of taxi-out / power-back:

Quote

Aircraft will not be permitted to reverse off pier-served stands under their own power. Aircraft may be permitted to reverse off remote stands at the discretion of the aerodrome authority. Permission must be obtained from the Airfield Duty Manager (Ext. 3331) via ATC prior to manoeuvre.

(Source: https://www.aurora.nats.co.uk/htmlAIP/Publications/2021-01-28-AIRAC/html/eAIP/EG-AD-2.EGCC-en-GB.html#AD-2.EGCC)

I don't know how it's normally done at EGCC, but I would expect that if you're on a regular stand, you would normally be cleared for pushback, unless you are at a remote stand (like those North of taxiway Z) and explicitly request a power-back. GA aprons are often "push/taxi at pilot's discretion", not controlled, so you would request startup, and be advised to hold short and report somewhere on the boundary of GND's area of responsibility.

[Koen Meier]

powerback would only be viable on a prop aircraft.

[Tobias Dammers]

Yes, and we are talking about "smaller aircraft that don't require push-back" here, so that seems appropriate.

[Andreas Fuchs]

On 2/28/2021 at 4:54 PM, Koen Meier said:

powerback would only be viable on a prop aircraft.

I have been onboard a 727 that did a power-back in Miami. Good old days!

Edited March 2, 2021 at 03:19 PM by Andreas Fuchs

[Scott D. Williams]

Power back was standard for NWA DC9 and MD80 in the US at certain airports. It always makes me cringe a little because it seemed so prone to FOD and burned a little more fuel of course..