Ground Deice

[CelticCitation]

Anyone out there dealing with the changes to the ground deice programs have any useful advice? Evidently, the big change (for us anyways) is training ground crews on the road. Our POI thought there needs to be a DVD or some other training program to document when the ground crew at Podunk airport has been trained on deicing.

Another issue is doing a tactile test of T-tail aircraft, like a king air. Remember you have 5 minutes prior to departure to shimmy up some ladder, check the tail, run back in, and launch. Shouldn't be too difficult.

Any thoughts?

 

[MauleSkinner]

Anyone out there dealing with the changes to the ground deice programs have any useful advice? Evidently, the big change (for us anyways) is training ground crews on the road. Our POI thought there needs to be a DVD or some other training program to document when the ground crew at Podunk airport has been trained on deicing.

Maybe you could train your pilots to supervise deicing by untrained linemen, and get that approved.

Another issue is doing a tactile test of T-tail aircraft, like a king air. Remember you have 5 minutes prior to departure to shimmy up some ladder, check the tail, run back in, and launch. Shouldn't be too difficult.

Actually, I think you should be able to just check the FIRST part that was deiced...have 'em deice the fuselage just above the pilot's storm window first, and stick your arm out the window to check that just before takeoff.

Good luck

David

 

[CelticCitation]

I appreciate the logic and common sense, however, this comes right from the FAA that they want a "tactile check" of all critical surfaces, after which certain representative surfaces can be used. And yes, they want a documented training program for all deice crews, just supervising isn't accepted. Our POI says that Skywest has gone most of a year battling to get their program approved. And they have quite a few more resources than we do.

 

[MauleSkinner]

I appreciate the logic and common sense, however, this comes right from the FAA that they want a "tactile check" of all critical surfaces, after which certain representative surfaces can be used.

Would that be a tactile check of all critical surfaces after deicing, and then a representative surface within 5 minutes of takeoff?