Ouch....that's hot!

[RJP]

Just curious if anyone has EVER heard of this happening.

The other day an FO (not new to aviation) was doing a first flight walk-around. Said FO decided that it was a good idea to make sure the pitot tube wasn't loose. The pitot tube was left on by MX (reportedly). Said FO proceeded to grab (not just touch or prod), yes, that's right, GRAB the pitot tube and hold on. Apparently, after the blisters formed and the skin peeled off, said FO released the pitot tube. The FO was not able to fly the entire day (working radios instead) and has since gone on comp.

I've not talked with a single person who has ever heard of this happening and the response is always the same after hearing about it. "You've got to be sh i tting me!"

Dumbest thing I've ever heard.

 

[91100 100 set]

What about the individual who chipped a tooth preflighting the pitot tube?

 

[cj610]

Mean flight instructor

I heard of a flight insructor who had a mean trick. When he had a new student preflight a pitot static tube, he would show them how to grasp the tube and blow into it. When they in turn demonstrated their proficiency in doing so, he would take their picture.

Why would somebody do this? That could ruin someones political career.

CJ610

 

[GravityHater]

he would show them how to grasp the tube and blow into it.

That would look cute on a dirigible, you could label the picture "John applies a few more psi to the envelope before departure"

 

[cforst513]

what about the guy from netjets with the static wick sticking out of his eye? poor bugger....

i feel bad for this FO. that had to hurt like hell.

 

[FracCapt]

Not only have I heard of it....I've seen it firsthand. A 747 Captain at one of the Majors wanted me to check him out in a C-210 he bought. He wanted to check the pitot heat, so he turned it on, and went and lightly touched the pitot tube. It wasn't warm, he said. He then proceeded to full on grab the pitot tube. In the next 2 seconds or so it got hot enough to give him nasty burns and take the skin off(which continued to smolder on the pitot tube for a few more seconds). Of course, then he had to tell me....repeatedly....that he was smarter than that, and knew not to do that, but had a "dumbass moment".

 

[BenderGonzales]

I've seen a bunch of Learjet operators who do that routinely as a part of their preflight inspections.

Maybe the Lear 31 pitot tubes dont get that hot.

I dont think i'm gonna test that theory. lol

 

[Lead Sled]

A lot of jets have certain (but not all) probes, vents, or vanes, etc. heated on the ground. Many of these aren't "switched" per se and come on with the battery master(s). RTFM (Read The Fricken Manual) is operative here.

'Sled

 

[say again]

I had a student who would go out to preflight a c-172 and I can't count how many times he'd come back in with blood gushing from his head. It took him 200 hours just to solo. Go figure!!!!

 

[mattpilot]

I heard of a flight insructor who had a mean trick. When he had a new student preflight a pitot static tube, he would show them how to grasp the tube and blow into it. When they in turn demonstrated their proficiency in doing so, he would take their picture.

Why would somebody do this? That could ruin someones political career.

CJ610

When my initial instructor 'taught' me how to pre-flight, he wanted me to suck on the stall horn on a 152. That thing was covered with bugs - i said hell no. I figured he was played a joke on me. Not so - he insisted, but i refused and told him i'll only do things he does first (good advice to follow, if you don't want to get tricked). He demonstrated and sucked on that thing like he just won a 'sucking competition' over the weekend. I kinda half-assed blowed on the thing (i ain't sucking any bugs into my mouth) and bought me one of those stall-horn testers from sporty .

 

[91100 100 set]

Actually, I remember reading somewhere a long time ago that you shouldn't blow into a pitot tube because it may introduce moisture into the pitot/static system.

 

[91100 100 set]

But, now that I've read my last post, I realize that you probably get plenty of moisture in there just by flying around in clouds and rain and such.

But on the other hand, there are plenty of airplanes out there where if you can actually reach the pitot tube and touch it (with your hands or anything else), that plane might have no business flying in visible moisture.

 

[FlyChicaga]

When I worked ramp for Trans States, my manager and I were standing next to the document door waiting for the Captain to hand out the paperwork. Well I look at my manager, who is staring at the standby pitot tube on the ATR. Just walks up to it, still staring at it, and then grabs it. Holds it for maybe 0.09 seconds, then turns around jumping waving his hands in pain. I just started laughing hysterically... I mean, the whole "Curious George" style that he did it. Blistered terribly.

 

[cforst513]

according to my cessna pilot center videos and john and martha king (who invented flying. wright brothers didn't), you shouldn't ever blow into the pitot tube b/c it will damage the instrument. you need to be moving through the air and the static port has to be doing its thing or else the ASi will be damaged. blowing in it w/ the engine is not good. thank you, john and martha, for clearing that up!

 

[Doug Parker]

Just hock a lugie on the pitot tube - if it boils, it's working

 

[jetjock19]

When I am training my guys on the 130, I see if their common sense can take over when I tell them the pitot gets hot when turned on. Well the rest is history from there. Usually their first injury on the herc is the burn on the pitot. Next, is when they cut their head open running up the flight deck ladder at warp speed forgetting the galley trash door is still open!

 

[Freight Dog]

Guess he missed Gordon's speech on pitot tubes... or was it B.I. teach this guy's GS? If B.I. was the instructor, can't blame your FO for falling asleep in class.

Bummer this happened....

Just curious if anyone has EVER heard of this happening.

The other day an FO (not new to aviation) was doing a first flight walk-around. Said FO decided that it was a good idea to make sure the pitot tube wasn't loose. The pitot tube was left on by MX (reportedly). Said FO proceeded to grab (not just touch or prod), yes, that's right, GRAB the pitot tube and hold on. Apparently, after the blisters formed and the skin peeled off, said FO released the pitot tube. The FO was not able to fly the entire day (working radios instead) and has since gone on comp.

I've not talked with a single person who has ever heard of this happening and the response is always the same after hearing about it. "You've got to be sh i tting me!"

Dumbest thing I've ever heard.

 

[Singlecoil]

In small airplanes aren't you just supposed to flip the pitot heat switch and make sure the needle on the ammeter twitches?

 

[dseagrav]

In small airplanes aren't you just supposed to flip the pitot heat switch and make sure the needle on the ammeter twitches?

Well, with the C152, I was taught to turn it on and go make sure it gets warm, but I got warned that if you took too long to get to the pitot it would get hot enough to burn you.

 

[Alchemy]

Dunno what type of aircraft the incident you refer to involved but we were told repeatedly in training for a large regional airline never to touch the TAT probes, Pitot tubes, AOA sensors or Static Ports unless we have a good reason to and we're sure they're cool

Our pitot tubes, AOA sensors and static ports are continously heated whenever at least one engine is running. The TAT probes are heated continously in flight.