AN ACR B737-400 FLC STARTED TO TAXI BEFORE THE GND PUSHBACK CREW HAD DISCONNECTED. THE CAPT REAPPLIED THE BRAKES BEFORE THE ACFT HAD MOVED AND NO INCIDENT OCCURRED. THE FLC WAS DISTR AND IT WAS A NEW PROC.

Narrative

WE WERE ON THE 4TH DAY OF A TRIP AT APPROX XA00 LCL. WE WERE PUSHING BACK FROM THE GATE AND HAD JUST STARTED THE SECOND ENG. AFTER THE ENGS WERE STARTED; THE CAPT NOTICED SOME MAIL IN BOXES HAD FALLEN ON THE PAINTED ROADWAY BEHIND A GATE TO HIS L. THE CAPT DIRECTED ME TO CALL THE COMPANY AND ADVISE THEM OF THE BOXES. WE CONFIGURED THE ACFT FOR TAXI. I CLRED THE AREA TO THE R AND THE CAPT RELEASED THE BRAKES. REALIZING HE WAS STILL CONNECTED TO THE GND CREW HE REAPPLIED THE BRAKES IMMEDIATELY (WE DID NOT MOVE); AND COMPLETED COMS AND DISCONNECTING WITH THE GND CREW. WE HAD ALMOST TAXIED WITH THE GND CREW STILL CONNECTED BECAUSE WE WERE MOMENTARILY DISTR AND BECAUSE OF A NEW UNFAMILIAR PUSHBACK PROC. THE NEW PROC REQUIRES US TO BE CONNECTED TO THE GND CREW UNTIL BOTH ENGS ARE STARTED. IN THE PAST; WE DISCONNECTED FROM THE GND CREW AFTER THE FIRST ENG WAS STARTED SO THAT YOU HAD AN OBSERVER OUT IN FRONT OF THE ACFT. IT IS DIFFICULT TO SEE THE TUG AND GND CREW WHEN THEY ARE HOOKED UP DURING PUSHBACK. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR; A CAPT ON A B737-400; SAID THAT HIS COMPANY HAD RECENTLY CHANGED THEIR PUSHBACK AND START PROC. THIS REQUIRED THE GND CREW TO REMAIN ON THE INTERPHONE WITH THE TUG HOOKED TO THE ACFT UNTIL ALL OF THE ENGS WERE STARTED. THE FLCS ARE SO USED TO SEEING A MEMBER OF THE GND CREW IN FRONT OF THE ACFT JUST BEFORE TAXI THAT; BY THEIR ABSENCE; THE FLCS ASSUME THAT IT IS PERMISSIBLE TO TAXI AND THIS WAS ONE OF SEVERAL RECENT INCIDENTS. THE RPTR SAID THAT HE TALKED TO HIS VICE PRESIDENT OF FLT AND HE CHANGED THE PROC SO THAT A MEMBER OF THE GND CREW IS POSITIONED IN FRONT OF THE ACFT NOW. THE FLC EXCHANGES SALUTES WITH THIS GND CREW MEMBER BEFORE THEY ARE CLRED TO TAXI. THE GND CREW MEMBER WILL NOT SALUTE UNTIL THE GND EQUIP AND PERSONNEL ARE CLR.