AN A320 PARKING BRAKE FAILED WHEN SET ON PUSHBACK AND SUBSEQUENTLY THE ALTERNATE BRAKE SYS FAILED EVEN THOUGH PRESSURIZED.

Narrative

I AM CONCERNED FOR THE LACK OF SAFETY AND QUALITY CTL OF PARTS AT ACR. FURTHER; I SEE A SERIOUS LACK OF SAFETY WITH THE CURRENT SOP WHICH REQUIRES A320 CREWS TO DISABLE THE NW STEER AND ANTI-LOCK BRAKES PRIOR TO DEP. I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WITNESS; FIRST HAND; THE SERIOUS AND POSSIBLE CATASTROPHIC CONSEQUENCES WHILE FOLLOWING THIS PROC. THE ACFT SAT AT THE GATE FOR 4+ HRS DUE TO THE 'PARK BRAKE UNABLE TO RELEASE.' MAINT REPLACED AND RETURNED THE ACFT BACK TO SVC. DURING PUSHBACK; WHILE STARTING #1 ENG; THE CAPT WAS INSTRUCTED TO SET BRAKES. INITIALLY; BRAKE PRESSURE ROSE. CAPT BUSY WITH COM WITH GND CREW WHICH HAD STATED THEY HAD PLACED US SLIGHTLY OFF THE CTRLINE. I WAS BUSY MONITORING THE ENG START AND RAMP FREQ. PARK BRAKE FAILED AND ACFT BEGAN TO ROLL FORWARD. THE CAPT REACTED IN AN EXPEDITIOUS MANNER; RELEASING THE PARK BRAKE; TURING ON THE NOSEWHEEL STEERING AND APPLYING NORMAL BRAKES. THE ACFT STILL ROLLED AT LEAST 10 FT. HAD PERSONNEL AND EQUIP BEEN POSITIONED DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE ACFT; THE OUTCOME WOULD HAVE BEEN QUITE DIFFERENT. DAMAGE TO PROPERTY AND POSSIBLE PERSONNEL INJURY. BOTTOM LINE: CURRENT SOP IS DANGEROUS AND UNSAFE. I DON'T THINK AIRBUS INTENDED FOR OPERATOR THAT THE 'NORMAL' OP REQUIRES INTENTIONALLY DISABLING ACFT SYS; WHICH IN TURN LEAVES THE CREW WITH NO BACKUP; REDUNDANT SYS AVAILABLE. I URGE THAT ACR CHANGE THE CURRENT SOP IN DUE DILIGENCE SINCE THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. WITH MAINT BEING OUTSOURCED; THE LOWER QUALITY OF REPLACEMENT PARTS AND CURRENT UNSAFE SOP; WE ARE SETTING UP FOR DISASTER. FURTHER; I SEE AN INCREASED NUMBER OF STATIONS WHICH HAVE DEFECTIVE HEADSETS FOR THE PUSHBACK CREWS. HAD WE BEEN USING HAND SIGNALS DURING THIS PUSHBACK; THINGS WOULD HAVE TURNED UP EVEN WORSE. IN CLOSING; I HOPE I HAVE NOT WASTED MY TIME IN WRITING THIS RPT.