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FAA’s Babbitt singles out pitot covers as room for improvement

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diggertwo

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 28, 2001
Posts
65
http://www.pilotbug.com/?p=1624

In a speech given to the Regional Airline Association November 10th, FAA administrator Randy Babbitt spoke about the culture of professionalism, need for mentoring junior pilots and safety. Curiously, he also specifically mentioned Safety Enhancement 175.

Babbitt quotes during the speech, “To prevent loss of pitot static system flight data, airlines/maintenance should provide visible tagging any time the pitot static system … pitot tubes and static ports … are covered during maintenance or servicing, for example, washing. In addition, preflight walk-around procedures should include specific verification that pitot static ports are uncovered.”

It seems to me a curious statement to be bringing this up in a speech about safety in light of all of the other accidents and incidents that have occurred recently. As far as I know, the only related occurrence to this would be Air France flight 447, an Airbus A-330, which was lost on June 1st. Investigators have been looking into the pitot/static system as a cause of the accident. The investigation is not, I presume, focusing on whether the First Officer neglected to remove the pitot covers prior to departure.

A search of the NTSB accident/accident database in the last 10 years resulted in no findings of pitot/static related causes due to covers left on.
 
This only serves to manipulate the flying public into believing that the problems with the airline industry today are associated with the inexperience of today's regional pilots, specifically, and their inability to perform simple tasks, such as ensuring that all pitot-static ports are clear of obstructions prior to flight.
 
This only serves to manipulate the flying public into believing that the problems with the airline industry today are associated with the inexperience of today's regional pilots, specifically, and their inability to perform simple tasks, such as ensuring that all pitot-static ports are clear of obstructions prior to flight.

Exactly. This Babbit guy is puting the spotlight on our 'professionalism', which clearly could use some improvement and deffinitely gathers significant press attention. He's "Doing something", makes him look like a crusader among the political powers that keep him in office.

Really though, I think all of us know that if you really wanted to save lives you have to stop puting a price on safety.
Stop forcing underpaid FOs to sleep in airports
Stop allowing airlines to send their pilots (and contracted pilots) to the cheapest outsourced training possible
Stop allowing airlines to send maintenance overseas
Start requiring higher qualifications to enter the field
Start requiring training outfits to train to a higher level than 'proficcient'

We can go on and on, but any 1 of those 5 items would likely prevent more casualties than demanding 'professionalism' from crews.
The FAA is a rulemaking/enforcement agency, you can't enforce professionalism.
 
http://www.pilotbug.com/?p=1624

In a speech given to the Regional Airline Association November 10th, FAA administrator Randy Babbitt spoke about the culture of professionalism, need for mentoring junior pilots and safety. Curiously, he also specifically mentioned Safety Enhancement 175.

Babbitt quotes during the speech, “To prevent loss of pitot static system flight data, airlines/maintenance should provide visible tagging any time the pitot static system … pitot tubes and static ports … are covered during maintenance or servicing, for example, washing. In addition, preflight walk-around procedures should include specific verification that pitot static ports are uncovered.”

It seems to me a curious statement to be bringing this up in a speech about safety in light of all of the other accidents and incidents that have occurred recently. As far as I know, the only related occurrence to this would be Air France flight 447, an Airbus A-330, which was lost on June 1st. Investigators have been looking into the pitot/static system as a cause of the accident. The investigation is not, I presume, focusing on whether the First Officer neglected to remove the pitot covers prior to departure.

A search of the NTSB accident/accident database in the last 10 years resulted in no findings of pitot/static related causes due to covers left on.
A dtw ramper pulled my plane forward the other night while the jet bridge was attached, ripped the tube right off when it hhit the auto adjust wheel. We were up eating when we cam down they said the gate moved the bridge and thats how it happened. luckily for the gate agent she was eating 2 tables away from us. the rampers were sent home. The gate agent was actually nice
 
Babbitt is continuing to do the same meaningful work he did as ALPA president.
 
does tagging it with a marshalling wand count? BTW there were two 757 crashes related to covering the pitot tubes during washing i believe.
 
does tagging it with a marshalling wand count? BTW there were two 757 crashes related to covering the pitot tubes during washing i believe.

Aeroperu 603- Blocked static ports

BergianAir 301 -suspected blocked pitot tube by Mud-Dauber wasps(they didn't recover the pitot tubes), but the plane sat for 25 days prior to flight.
 

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