Commercial Fixed Wing
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 165; Flight Crew Total 15000; Flight Crew Type 900
Human-Machine Interface; Situational Awareness; Training / Qualification; Communication Breakdown
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Ground Event / Encounter Other / Unknown
Human Factors; Procedure
Initial communication with tug operator and initial pushback was SOP. Clearance to start both engines was given during pushback and acknowledged by me. I directed my First Officer to start the engines. When pushback was complete; the brakes were set. At that point the tug operator asked me; 'Am I cleared to disconnect?' I looked at the ECAM and saw the NW STRG DISC message still displayed. I told the tug operator that he was using incorrect terminology; that the NW STRG DISC message was displayed and that he was to disconnect the tow bar; then remove the bypass pin. By this time #1 Engine was started and I told my First Officer to delay starting the number two because of the confusion with the push crew. Note that hydraulic pressure is supplied to nose wheel steering when the #1 Engine is started and the bypass pin is removed. I believe the tug crew then removed the bypass pin prior to disconnecting the tow bar. Had the nose gear been cocked it would have immediately centered which could have caused serious injury in the worse case and damage to equipment and the aircraft in the best case. After clearing the push crew we continued with the start and completed the flight.
An air carrier aircraft was pushed away from the gate by a tug operator unfamiliar with pushback SOP and phraseology.