Air Wisconsin Deicing

[LowlyPropCapt]

Question for the Air Willy guys...

I was in PHL tonight watching the RJs in front of me getting hosed off. When one Air Willy CRJ was done, the CA asked for a "tactile check" to be done. Naturally, the deice guys had no idea what he was talking about. The CA explained that "all airplanes have to have tactile checks, it's in the book... This shouldn't even be a suprise."

At PDT, there are no tactile checks... Not unless you are 20 feet tall. At my previous airline tactile checks were only for pre takeoff contamination checks once the HOT expired.

So what's the deal at Air Willy? Do you guys do tactile checks after every deicing event?

Not a big deal, just curious.

 

[can99]

whats a tactile check anyway... sorry I know thats its a dumb question, just never heard it before....

 

[ePilot22]

SkyWest CRJs also require tactile checks after de-icing.




eP.

 

[LowlyPropCapt]

Tactile check means you get out and feel the wing... Skin to metal.

 

[OCP]

I think CRJs are required a tactile check. ASA needs one too. Really a deice guy should have known that.

 

[LowlyPropCapt]

Interesting, thanks.

 

[CesnaCaptn]

Tactile doesn't necessarily mean skin to wing. Although, by definition, a tactile check means touch. We do tactile checks on the 737. At my airline, a mechanic (or other trained personnel) uses a rod to "feel" the top of the wing.

 

[n757st]

I believe it is indeed in the US Airways Express manual that tactile checks are a required part of the the deice process. At AWAC it is mandatory, and deicers should absolutely know that. Not that the Deiceing guys do it right in PHL anyways... nothing like them starting type 1 and 4 at the tail and then doing the wings afterward...

 

[WMUSIGPI]

Thanks to some idiots over in Europe the CRJ 200 and ERJ 145 (and similar IE CR1, E135/140, AKA no slats jets) Need to do this. Sombody "qualified" needs to do a "tactile" check after deicing to guarantee no contamination on the critical surfaces. Visual checks are not enough anymore. I'll save the detailed explanation to those current on that type.

 

[CesnaCaptn]

I personally like tactile checks. When a HOT is expired or can't be established, I'm not a big fan of looking out a cabin window at the wing. Sometimes it's dark or difficult to distinguish if the de-ice fluid has failed or if the snow is adhering to the wing.