On the S5 side of RAH we occasionally get threat memos concerning "Early Brake Release" (EBR) warnings on the United side. They claim that United is tracking the time from our ACARS blocks us out (brake release) to the time we call for push. According to our management, United provides an average EBR time. United's goal is one minute.

Recently, our management put out a new threat memo that since our EBR is averaging over two minutes, that United wants to change our ACARS block out to register during aircraft movement, not door closed with brakes released.

Is any other United Express carrier hearing this is? Or, is this another way our management is just trying to lower our blocks hour to save paying aircrews?

Havent had that problem over at Colgan.

Safety first, as per almost all FOM's. End of argument!

Im confused, what are you saying? How does that pertain to brkae release?

At SKYW we were getting this too, we were told for a while we couldn't release the brake until we had called for push and a push clearance was received. It was a really big deal for a while, then suddenly it all stopped, we don't get any communication about this at all anymore. Not sure what happened.

They've been targeting SKW for 4+ years now.

You've got to love United! They’d rather target the pilots for dropping the brake 1 minute early than provide us ground power.

1. Drop brake
2. Call for push
3. Wait 10 seconds
4. Call ramp and tell them that you had an issue pop up and that you'll need to cancel the clearance and call them back when you're ready again.

Close MCD
Drop Brake
Call for push
Call ramp back to cancel the push b/c you are missing ground personnel.

Now the problem is United's ground personnel, not when you dropped the brake.

Same thing at TSA

This is EXACTLY what to do.