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Frontier Airbus deiced incorrectly
A Frontier Airlines plane was supposed to be deiced prior to takeoff from Nashville The deicing company informed the crew that the aircraft was deiced and clear of contaminants Upon reaching the runway, a flight attendant noticed there was still a significant buildup of snow and ice on the wings, and informed the pilots The plane returned to the gate, at which point it was discovered that there was about a foot of snow on the wings Apparently the deicing company had run low on deicing fluid,… (onemileatatime.com) Más...Sort type: [Top] [Newest]
I am surprised that the crew did not inspect the aircraft after deicing. Our OPS manual requires it.
A member of the deicing 'crew' will inspect the aircraft by leaving the truck and running their bare hand down the leading edge of the wing. The aircraft crew cannot open the door after they have left the gate (and popped the brake). Once they shut the door and leave the gate they have 'departed' it does not matter how long it takes to deice.
As a private pilot and deicing operator/driver at BDL (Bradley airport, Windsor Locks, CT) we spray HOT Type I for frost at the gates on overnight aircraft before they’re loaded for the first flight approximately 1-2 hours before their departures in the wee hours of the morning. Snow, ice, freezing rain, sleet and freezing fog are sprayed with HOT Type I in the deice pad adjacent to rwy 6 allowing for a quick departure after being sprayed with Type I and occasionally Type 4 if the precipitation is still falling. Like others have said, the cockpit view of the wings is limited if not impossible. Certainly the freight operators don’t have any windows on the fuselage to be able to look out let alone being able to get in the back with the containers there, so they’re not checking for contaminants. And I promise you flight crews on passenger carrying aircraft aren’t coming out of the secure cockpit to wander down the aisle to have a looksy out the emergency row exit to check the wings. They all trust the word from the driver of the deicing truck on the radio that “Your aircraft and engines have been inspected and found clean”. Shame on that deicing operator/company.
1980s crew took a broom to "those flipper things" on the wing and left the rest covered. You pay peanuts you get monkeys.
As a non-pilot but observant traveler I pose the following deicing question to pilots and engineers:
why aren't warming elements built into the wing and upper fuselage surfaces to melt ice and snow, something like radiant heating? Besides not having to wait for deicing trucks, which can sometimes add an hour to a flight, it would eliminate the significant expense added by the current method.
why aren't warming elements built into the wing and upper fuselage surfaces to melt ice and snow, something like radiant heating? Besides not having to wait for deicing trucks, which can sometimes add an hour to a flight, it would eliminate the significant expense added by the current method.
Pitot tubes are heated but they are small. Dash 8's have rubber boots for mechanical deicing of the leading edge of the wing. Also ice is not ice, that is ice at 30 degrees is going to be easy to melt. Ice at 0 degrees is going to be almost impossible. Large antennas can be 'detuned' when ice forms on them and no amount of power will melt the ice even when power comes from a local generator that does not have to be flown around.
Short answers - 1) Carries around extra weight , to be used only x % of the time.
2) Adds significant electrical kW demand, which affects sizing of gen & distribution.
3) Since many parts of wing assembly are moveable - requires many flex conductors needing maintenance, so they don't jam the flaps & spoilers
Better to invest in training up places like BNA. Snow removal is not a popular job field.
Reminds of the old VW beetle commercial - how does the snowplow driver get to the plow truck from home on a snowy morning ??
2) Adds significant electrical kW demand, which affects sizing of gen & distribution.
3) Since many parts of wing assembly are moveable - requires many flex conductors needing maintenance, so they don't jam the flaps & spoilers
Better to invest in training up places like BNA. Snow removal is not a popular job field.
Reminds of the old VW beetle commercial - how does the snowplow driver get to the plow truck from home on a snowy morning ??