Commercial Fixed Wing
Communication Breakdown; Confusion; Training / Qualification
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Other / Unknown
Company Policy; Human Factors; Procedure
We were working on Aircraft X for the Aileron and Elevator leak check maintenance task. I went up in the Cockpit and found a person that looked exactly like a mechanic and he moved out of the way for me to do my job. I informed the foreman that someone was in the cockpit on a live plane without my knowledge. It was someone from the move team dressed exactly like a mechanic. My partner and I completed the panel installation on the left side of the aircraft; the other two mechanics were still working on the right side panels. There is only 1 sign off and I went back out to verify panel installation and was advised the tail panel still had one screw that needed to be installed. While up on a cargo king verifying fasteners and replacing one short screw the APU started 2 feet from my head as well as the mechanic that was with me. I went and found the move team and asked them why they started the APU without walking the plane; they indicated that [number] told them it was ok to take the plane. They never walked the plane to verify we were done. [Name] at [number] said Foreman told him we were done; [Name] told me he only told [Number] it should be done by XA:30. I don't know who is telling the truth but I don't think the move team belongs on a live aircraft while Maintenance is still working on it. It is extremely dangerous to have untrained personnel in the cockpit of an aircraft while Maintenance is still working on it. Better training and procedures on when Aircraft Move Team is allowed to be on an aircraft. Aircraft Move Team should not be dressed like Maintenance and should not be sitting in the cockpit while active Maintenance is being performed.
Aircraft move crew started APU without informing Maintenance Crew while maintenance was still being performed on the aircraft.