Widebody; Low Wing; 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Communication Breakdown
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
General None Reported / Taken
Equipment / Tooling
Ground personnel utilized wireless headsets for cockpit communications during pushback. The problem wasn't immediately obvious: when we were contacted 'ready for pushback;' our baggage doors were still open and we told the ground crew. We were immediately advised 'I'm looking at them and they are closed; let me re-cycle.' During this time; we were instructed to 'release brakes;' to which we did. We observed the bulk cargo door close and then re-open. Ground inquired 'how's that?' and our response was 'we are still showing rear main cargo door open and the bulk door still open.' Ground followed with 'sir; I'm showing you haven't released your brakes' so we cycled several times; our parking brakes and even re-pressurized the system to assure proper pressure. When he said our brakes were still on; I asked him how he knew; and I was told 'the aircraft wouldn't budge;' which was odd because we hadn't felt a single movement or strain on our nose gear as is usually felt. Our cargo doors finally showed closed and a different voice appeared on the interphone system saying 'is this Gate X?' and 'are you ready to push?' to which I responded again 'yes; ready for push; but do you show our brakes still set?' A routine; procedural pushback followed and just prior to normal ground interphone disconnect; I noticed a walker in front of the plane wearing headsets with an antenna for wireless operation; and that is when it started to dawn on all of the crew what possibly had been going on! I made several non-routine comments and discovered the walker in front on my nose was able to communicate with me in addition to the man below on the tug and I think there was possibly some others on [the] same frequency. It then became obvious that there wasn't a problem with our door indications or the brake indicator light; that we probably were talking with another push crew dedicated to another gate. I had never heard of these wireless headsets before. I think they are new. I don't know if they are intended for all pushes now or are only intended during times when lightning in the area is present.If these style headsets are to be routinely utilized (in either normal operations or during lightning conditions only); and if it is determined that in this case; we were; in fact; unknowingly communicating with another gate operation; extreme measures need to be implemented to prevent it from happening again. Color coding or numerically dedicating to a specific gate or restricting use to one-at-a-time or something is imperative to assure multiple headsets operating on a same channel or frequency is required. If these style headsets are intended to only be used during storm activity and therefore different to normal operations; then possibly an additional non-normal requirement of the ground personnel upon establishing contact with the cockpit be made that would go something like: 'Ground crew standing by for push; be advised wireless communications are being utilized; all users on this frequency/channel are to be working aircraft xxx; on gate x-xx; please respond with confirmation [if] that is the case.' If there is someone who is hearing this communication in error on another gate/aircraft; procedurally respond 'Hold operations; this is gate x-xx receiving in error;' or something of the sort.
Air carrier Captain reported on pushback from CLT that ground crew was utilizing wireless headsets and the Captain was communicating with a push crew from another gate.