What Are These things?

[bobbysocks]

As part of A-Check inspections we do testing of the pitot static heat elements. A-Checks are carried out every 500 hours.

Here's evidence of pitot static system failures due to ice, AF447, probably the most high profile incident of recent years and Air New Zealand A320 on loan to XL in Europe;

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_France_Flight_447

Pilot error, frozen sensors behind Air NZ A320 crash | Australian Aviation

all too familiar with A checks. i used to schedule them and the weekly checks for all the 737s, MD 80s, fokker 100s, and airbuses we had. they didnt generate an SD for this? that surprises me...

 

[nuuumannn]

Interesting Bobbysocks, who'd you work for? Were you light or line maintenance?

The loss of the Air Asia A320 has got the same issues being suspected as the cause of that, too, although until they analyse the FDR they're not going to know for certain. Not sure what's been put in place regarding this, not so up on the A320. Worked on them before though; nice machine.

 

[Capt. Vick]

Watched an Air Disasters episode once and there was a Turkish airliner that was not properly "buttoned up" during something like a month on the ground. It was lost over the south Atlantic (I believe) and they theorized that insects had made homes in the pitot tube sending conflicting information to the flight crew which they just couldn't sort out.

Also read an account of a B-58 Hustler pilot, who during a preflight before a record attempt flight found a cigarette butt stuffed up the pitot tube.

Birgenair Flight 301 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[bobbysocks]

worked for usairways. started in the commuters, working the ramp. we had dornier 328s, beech 1900s, saab 320s, j 31s, and dash 8s. did that for about 5 years then got a job with mainline in maintenance planning. i made the daily work orders for the mtc shops...scheduled checks...tracked MELs and all that fun. did that for a couple years. was there during 9/11. i enjoyed it but the airline industry is one of feast or famine...you are either rolling in dough or going belly up. i was low man on the totem pole so next rounds of cuts ( if there were any ) i was out....and they were relocating the whole OPs center across the country....so i took that opportunity to find employment elsewhere. do miss it on occasion...especially flight benies...lol i have a small scar on my head from a pitot tube....smacked my head on it while pulling the chocks on the nose gear.

 

[stona]

One (and the official) explanation for the loss of the Noorduyn Norseman carrying Glenn Miller to France was carburettor icing. It was a known problem with the type.

Cheers

Steve

 

[bobbysocks]

last story i heard was a bomber group aborted their mission and dropped their load over the channel.....which happened to be directly over the flight path of the norseman carrying miller to paris.

Glenn Miller's plane mystery revived after 70 years

 

[stona]

last story i heard was a bomber group aborted their mission and dropped their load over the channel.....which happened to be directly over the flight path of the norseman carrying miller to paris.

Glenn Miller's plane mystery revived after 70 years

That doesn't really stand up anymore in the light of newer information about the course the Norseman flew.

The original causes were given as icing or pilot error, and carburettor icing was a known problem on the type.

Cheers

Steve

 

[bobbysocks]

ok....the original article had maps and times..etc. i didnt research any of it. i thought the original speculation was weather and can see from that day that icing stands to reason.

 

[stona]

The aircraft didn't fly the route that fits in with those timings and it was seen and noted down on a different course. The evidence only came to light when a family found the note book and brought it to an 'Antiques Road Show' in the UK.
I can't remember the details, but the Norseman couldn't have been in the jettison area at the relevant time.
Cheers
Steve

 

[GrauGeist]

If only they would follow the filed route as close as possible with marine search equipment and see if they could spot the wreckage...

That would be a large undertaking, of course

 

[Airframes]

I posted something on the Glenn Miller incident, based on Roy Conyers Nesbit's work a couple of years back.
It was thought 'Damp Cold' icing probably caused the loss of the Norseman, but a Lanc crew apparently also saw an aircraft 'go in' within the jettison area, as their bombs were dropped.

 

[soulezoo]

Good spider hangouts....