French prosecutors file criminal charges against Continental Airlines and five individuals. Read More…
Dreamliner Plant Spends Full Day on FOD
July 2, 2008 by
US aviation’s most ambitious manufacturing project engages in a major FOD training exercise. Read More…
Mechanic Ingested into Turbofan
June 19, 2008 by
An aircraft mechanic dies after being sucked into an Airbus A320 in the Canary Islands. Read More…
The Night before Flight 9, in the Land of FOD
June 10, 2008 by
The Night before Flight 9, in the Land of FOD
— a very close call
by Fred “The FODFixer” Reid
T’was the dark before flight time
and all down the line
crews slept in comfort
all seemed to be fine, [Read more…]
What the Experts are saying- Reports from the 21 National FOD Prevention Conference
June 1, 2008 by
NAFPI conference participants call for cooperation between airlines and airports
Dave Larrigan, of the Vancouver International Airport, says airports and airlines must work together to eliminate FOD. Too often the airlines leave it up to the airports. “Airports must have the support of airport tenants,” Larrigan said. Airline employees and service vendors must be well-versed in FOD issues because a good deal of FOD is generated on the ground at gates and taxiways—name badges, pens, cups, catering supplies, baggage parts, etc.
A Rag With A Mind Of It’s Own
May 26, 2008 by
Compliments of U.S. Navy “Mech” Magazine
By AM3 Edgar Crook
It was a hot, muggy, summer day in the Persian Gulf, and, as usual, I had a full day’s work ahead of me. Aircraft 403 was moved down to the hangar for a Phase C, 7- through 84-day, and 200-, 400-, and 600-hour inspections. The Hornet’s Phase C includes a look at all flight-control servocylinders-not a tough inspection, but we made it harder than necessary. [Read more…]
FAA tests Automated FOD detectors
May 23, 2008 by
FAA tests several automated FOD detection systems at US airports. If successful, the agency might publish standards that will allow airports to apply for federal money to purchase them.
Falcons Protect British Airport
April 24, 2008 by
For the past fifteen years, a wildlife specialist has used specially-trained raptors to chase birds from Leeds Bradford International Airport.
Read More…
Langley officials fight to keep F-22s from being damaged.
April 9, 2008 by
4/9/2008 – LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. (AFPN) — The Air Force’s newest and most technologically advanced fighter, the F-22 Raptor, is under attack here.
Free-falling clams dropped by in-flight birds are regular air threats to the F-22 as gulls drop fist-sized mollusks on the Langley Air Force Base runway to break open the shell-fish appetizer.
The birds’ shelling device just happens to be a convenient launch pad for the F-22. Although the gulls remove half their mess — slurping up tender meat from the runway — they leave behind hard, brittle sea shells for an F-22 to suck up through its engine intake that can cause severe damage.
Although the Air Force is wildlife friendly, Lt. Col. Lawrence Spinetta, the 1st Fighter Wing Safety Office chief, isn’t willing to let a $10.2 million jet engine go to the birds — or the clams. [Read more…]
United Airlines FOD Program
March 1, 2008 by
Mr. Alex Orosz at United is a leader in the effort to control FOD on civilian airfields. This link outlines portions of United’s FOD program and interesting FOD damage statistics. http://www.nafpi.com/presentations/2000/nafpi.pdf
