#Ground Ops

Two recent events with damage to the passenger windows of the aircraft were reported to Airbus. Similar events also happened on non-Airbus aircraft. The damage was caused by the heat of spotlights used during promotional filming sessions. One of these events could have had serious safety consequences as damage was not detected on ground, and caused some window panes to detach from the aircraft during the next flight. This article describes this event in more detail and how to prevent heat damage due to exterior lighting. It also recommends checking the condition of the aircraft before it returns to service.  

With the start of the winter season in the northern hemisphere, it is a timely reminder to re-publish this article, initially published in 2018. Ice ridges on the lower nose fuselage can cause Computed Airspeed (CAS) values delivered by the ADRs to be lower than the actual airspeed which may lead to unreliable airspeed events. This article describes the potential effect on the aircraft’s systems from the takeoff phase and how to prevent such situation.

Each in-service aircraft is struck by lightning at least once per year, on average. Even if the level of energy of lightning strikes is high, their effects on an aircraft are limited.This article explains the lightning phenomenon and why aircraft are prone to lightning strikes. It describes how aircraft are designed to limit the effects of a lightning strike and ensure that the safety of the flight is not impaired. It also recalls several safety precautions to take in flight and on the ground, and what must be done when an aircraft is struck by lightning.

In the past few years, several events occurred involving landing with the Nose Landing Gear (NLG) wheels turned to 90° from the aircraft centerline. The investigations identified the root causes, which were different for each event. Mitigating actions were developed and deployed accordingly. This article describes the outcomes of investigations into several events of aircraft landing with NLG wheels at 90° and shows why they are not related. It also recalls the corrective actions and existing operational recommendations to prevent any recurrence.

Aircraft that were parked or stored due to the impacts of the COVID-19 sanitary crisis are progressively returning to the skies. It is in this context that Airbus has already received several reports of rejected takeoff (RTO) and in-flight turn back (IFTB) events due to unreliable airspeed. All of these events had positive outcomes thanks to the actions of the flight crews. It does however illustrate the challenges for returning aircraft to flying, after they are parked or stored, and if the maintenance procedures are not followed in all cases. This is why we take this opportunity to share all of the available Airbus information and industry guidelines that can support Operators to ensure their safe return to the skies.

Safe refuelling operations require strict adherence to procedures and careful application of the safety precautions, not only by the refuelling operators but also flight crew, the cabin crew and the other ground operators.This article highlights the safety precautions that must be considered when refuelling an aircraft. It also describes supplementary tasks that are necessary if refuelling when passengers are on-board.

Cases of fuel spillage have been reported to Airbus on A320 family aircraft equipped with fuel transfer jet-pumps in the center tank.This article recalls the protections available against tank overfill. It explains why fuel spillage happened on the reported events and provides recommendations on how to avoid it.

Incorrect or incomplete application of the parking procedures at the end of a flight can lead to unexpected aircraft movement potentially resulting in injuries or significant damage from a collision with ground obstacles. Several cases of this type of event during maintenance are reported to Airbus each year.This article provides an overview of the parking brake architecture and explains the importance of checking accumulator pressure before applying the park brake, and then confirming there is sufficient hydraulic pressure at the brake unit. It also describes the safety enhancement available on A320 family and A330/A340 aircraft and gives recommendations for chock design and placement.

Thousands of aircraft doors are opened daily, usually without incident. However, several events are reported to Airbus each year where residual cabin pressure caused a door to open violently, leading to serious injuries or aircraft damage. This article describes the available residual cabin pressure warnings, with their limitations. It recalls the recommendations for flight crew, cabin crew, and ground staff to take before opening an aircraft door and provides the safety precautions to take to avoid unintentional pressurization of the aircraft on ground.

The number of people injured when emergency escape slides are inadvertently deployed is low. Nevertheless, such events pose a threat to the safety of people in or around aircraft. They are also a cause of aircraft damage, and departure delays. This article looks at how Inadvertent Slide Deployments (ISDs) can be avoided, and presents a new solution available to prevent them.

Cargo compartment linings are designed to provide an air-tight space, and are essential in protecting the aircraft and its occupants from fire and smoke.This article looks at how these composite components have come to play such an important role in Safety, and what can be done to make sure they stay in good condition.

Falling from an aircraft can cause serious injuries to people.Specific safety equipment is installed on Airbus aircraft, and when used correctly, can prevent falls from height. This article describes the available safety equipment for Airbus aircraft and recalls the basic safety precautions that will help to avoid falling from height injuries to everyone on the aircraft.

Pitot probes inlet obstruction will affect accuracy of the air data parameters calculated from its measurements such as the aircraft airspeed and Mach number. Pitot probes inlet obstruction on the ground can be caused by unexpected sources such as sand, dirt, dust or insect nesting activity. This is why it is important to think about when to install Pitot probe covers for an aircraft on the ground to protect its air data system performance.

Today, Lithium batteries play a barely visible, yet essential role in both our daily life and aviation alike. Manufactured and handled correctly, Lithium batteries are safe. But production failures, mishandling, or not being aware of their specific characteristics can have serious repercussions.

To “feel” the aircraft response through the flight controls as being “heavier or lighter” than anticipated at take-off can result from a weight & balance inaccuracy. In fact, when the CG is out of the operational limits, the safety consequences can be far more critical than just a strange feeling.

Composite materials are increasingly used in aircraft design. The A350 XWB is the most recent illustration of this trend. Yet if the benefits of composite materials are not in doubt for airlines, some questions still remain as to their potential effects on safety.

No crew likes the idea of Unit Load Devices (ULD – containers and pallets) moving around in the cargo holds of their aircraft during flight. This type of occurrences may have multiple causes.

PDAs may be considered by some people as noncritical, especially when the part is small. Yet whatever the size, they may represent a potential safety risk. Preventing them must be the single objective of the combined and coordinated effort of a number of actors.

Non-adherence to the correct aircraft wash-ing/cleaning and painting procedures regularly generate safety events. This article will illustrate, through real in-service occurrences, that even activities performed primarily to improve the appearance of the aircraft and better display the airline logo may affect the safety of operations. The lessons learnt from these events are common: washing or painting an aircraft must be done according to the published procedures and using the correct equipment. These are  specified in the Aircraft Maintenance Manual (AMM), Structure Repair Manual (SRM) and Tool and Equipment Manual (TEM).