Interim Report - Introduction - EASA

INTERIM REPORT – OPTIONS FOR CHANGE
EASA.2009.OP.21
handling (including de-icing / anti-icing) would increase awareness of the
issue.
With regard to the issue of re-hydrated residues and the management thereof, the data
available concerning operator’s residue management programmes and their efficacy is not
shared, and is mostly anecdotal. Considering this issue has been raised as a serious safety
matter, and aircraft manufacturers and operators obliged to focus on eliminating the
associated risks, little is actually known as to what should comprise best-practice. It is not
known, for certain, whether increased use of type I use is beneficial in reducing the risk, or
whether a washing cycle after 3 applications of thickened fluid is better than a cycle after 5
applications. Also, there is no consensus on whether preventive anti-icing increases the risk
of residues considerably.
What does seem apparent, however, is that since awareness of the issue was raised, and
inspection and cleaning programmes introduced, fewer incidents of frozen/obstructed
controls are occurring.
What is not known is how much residue is still being found and consequently removed. It
would be beneficial to the Industry if a set of data could be collected to allow all interested
stakeholders to quantify the existing risks and also compare best-practices. For this, a
dataset would need to be established and a method of sharing and analysing agreed,
perhaps through a central facilitator. The data that would be helpful includes the following:
− aircraft type
− aircraft identity
− history of applications of de-icing / anti-icing fluid, including:
o type of fluid
o procedure
o location of application
− history of inspections
− brief description of inspection methods, including any variations
− findings – quantitative or qualitative measure of residue formation
− history of cleaning - quantitative or qualitative assessment of effectiveness
− brief description of cleaning methods, including any variations.
A programme of such data collection and analysis would complement any associated data
received under Option SAF1, above.
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