Hi everyone,
I was wondering if any of you noticed this but when I am in an aircraft before pushing back it seems that the engines are on but before boarding I always check to see if they are (at the airport looking throught the window  ) and they never seem to be on (at least most of time I looked, I never saw the engine fan spining) so my question is, do they turn the engines on before pushback while people are boarding or is it that enine fans just weren't spining for some reasons or were the engines off? I also remember how the crew said they need to shut down the aircrafts engine due to some problems but before I boarded the aircraft I didn't notice engine fans spin but as soon as I entered the aircraft it felt as if the engines are on. So if they were, how come engine fans weren't spinning? Also is there a way to simulate that in FS2004? Thanks for reading! 

I fly a 727 and can share with you that we start the engines before during or after pushback depending on the situation ie braking action, ramp congestion etc.  We never start before the main cabin door is closed and it is not opened until the engines are shut down.  Hope that helps...

Scott

Mostly to do with wasted fuel, and ground crew safety. Flight crews won't call for "the push" until everyone is onboard, and sometimes they won't be cleared for pushback for up to an hour or more(depending on how busy the airport is(Boston and Newark come to mind!)).  Obviously, you don't want to have the main engines running that long for no reason.

That's intersting! Thanks guys.

scottB727
You said that you were a 727 pilot. So I was wondering, how fast and how high does Boeing 727 usually travel? The other day I was reading technical specs on 727 and it mentioned there that it can reach up to 1017km/h. So then how come I heared any 727 travelling that fast? Thanks

Hmm...Never thought that it could the problem...Well, unless the engines are running on the maximum power. Maybe I am wrong 

I heard somewhere that a flight attendant was sucked from the cabin when she opened the door prematurely. It may have been due to the airplane not being depressurized yet?

I don't believe the flight attendant story, period.  I have personally opened the main cabin door with the engines running it is not an issue with regard to being drawn towards the engine.  Take a look around next time you're at the airport, there all kinds of ground people walking around down below.  The door can't as a rule be opened when the cabin is still pressurized as they are plug type doors.  Even if you could get the door open the difference between the pressure inside and outside the cabin are not so different that you'd be "blown" out.

The prowler video was as I remember a situation where the ground guy was inches from the inlet when the power was advanced.

Scott

So Scott,  who do you fly for?