Commercial Fixed Wing
Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness; Training / Qualification
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Ground Event / Encounter Other / Unknown
General None Reported / Taken
Procedure; Company Policy; Staffing
We were assigned to perform an air-start for an aircraft with an inoperative APU. The staffing program run by local management assigned this task to completely unqualified personnel. This caused major confusion and extreme risk to the agents and equipment involved. The standard operating procedure is to start aircraft engine Number 1. The flight deck started aircraft engine Number 2. The airstart unit was connected from the Number 2 engine side; causing the agent unhooking the unit to be dangerously close to a running engine.
Air carrier Ground Operations employee reported that unqualified personnel were assigned to air-start an aircraft resulting in extreme risk to personnel and equipment.