Against the reg's to stop A/C on bridges...

[commuterguy]

In IAH, coming from terminal B towards C, it has been common for ramp to have us hold for a few minuites on a bridge over the road below. My FO today said that it is against the FAR's, since it would prohibit emergency vehicles from getting to/around a plane if they needed. Sounds plausable, anyone know for sure?

 

[mar]

Chapter and verse

You should've asked your FO for the Part and Paragraph in the FARs.

I don't recall ever reading that one, nor have I been instructed to abstain from bridge stoppings.

Although, I must admit, if I were on fire I would probably avoid stopping on a bridge.

 

[HS125]

In IAH, coming from terminal B towards C, it has been common for ramp to have us hold for a few minuites on a bridge over the road below. My FO today said that it is against the FAR's, since it would prohibit emergency vehicles from getting to/around a plane if they needed. Sounds plausable, anyone know for sure?

ORD has signs that tell you not to stop on the bridge, but I don't remember such a requirement at IAH.

 

[Flyerjosh]

There isn't a regulation per se, however there are two reasons. The first has already been mentioned (however it really doens't affect emergency vehicles that much... they can either go around you on the edge of the taxiway or have their own access routes). The main reason why you see the signs not to stop on bridges is because certain aircraft would not be able to evacuate in the event of an emergency (slides would end off the side of the bridge).

 

[FL420]

I would hazard a guess that the printed answer, if there is one, would be found in 14 CFR Part 139 or Advisory Circular 150 series.

 

[commuterguy]

I asked, he didn't remember where he read it. He wasn't being a smart a$$, just thinking outloud. The slide theory sounds realistic. Wouldn't be a factor in the embraer obviously, now that I think about it, I'm not sure I've seen a bigger plane with slided holding on the bridge.

 

[Av8rPHX]

It happens in PHX frequently during the busy banks when traffic is departing on 25R/L

 

[flatspin7]

Frankly there are 2 bridges- between the east and west ramps (south siiiiide in IAH) the 2 are both rarely blocked. Normally you just wait on the inner bridge for traffic to Clear from Taxiway RA or while the ramp guys take the "hand-off"

 

[FL420]

Got to thinking about the Alpha and Bravo bridges at ORD. The CTA Blue Line trains run under the bridges. If one of the trains derailed and slammed into a bridge support it could weaken the bridge. Another far-fetched scenario is fuel leaking from an aircraft on the bridge leaking onto the electrified third rail below and starting a conflagration.

Whether it's prohibited or not, stopping on a bridge with rail or vehicular traffic below(and why else would they have a bridge?), is not a good idea.