Plastic bag on main gear -- tell them or no?
- Thread starter ZapBrannigan
- Start date
ZapBrannigan
If it ain’t a Boeing, I’m not going. No choice.
Ok, well I appreciate the feedback. I felt like a jerk.
The Chautauqua crew responded, "I guess it'll just blow off."
ATC asked them their intentions and they said, "Well, we would have to go back to the gate which isn't appropriate at this time just for a plastic bag."
It did, in fact, blow off during their takeoff roll.
I can only imagine that they were cussing the "light twin" guy who tried to get them to return to the gate. Once enroute I asked my flying partner what he thought and he said that he probably wouldn't have said anything.
So, I appreciate the validation.
The Chautauqua crew responded, "I guess it'll just blow off."
ATC asked them their intentions and they said, "Well, we would have to go back to the gate which isn't appropriate at this time just for a plastic bag."
It did, in fact, blow off during their takeoff roll.
I can only imagine that they were cussing the "light twin" guy who tried to get them to return to the gate. Once enroute I asked my flying partner what he thought and he said that he probably wouldn't have said anything.
So, I appreciate the validation.
Murdoughnut
Well sized member
Wow, you guys are right - guess I should have told that 76 about the dead, half-frozen China Man sticking out of his port gear well. Lesson learned!
Stone Cold
Well-Known Member
Nobody else said it but I will...let's think about their experience. Anything questioned on any of my airplanes, I'd better have a "normal experience" with or it's getting checked out. I will not wait to see if "it blows off".
Whatever, you did the right thing. Let them deal with it later if that's the way it goes down. As said above, it's better to say something, and let them deal with it rather than be the guy that knew something and said nothing.
Whatever, you did the right thing. Let them deal with it later if that's the way it goes down. As said above, it's better to say something, and let them deal with it rather than be the guy that knew something and said nothing.
Cruise
Well-Known Member
Zap, I agree w/ everyone else here.....YOU did the right thing. From the sounds of it, THEY did not.
There is no way, no way, I'm gonna be taking off without having someone check out the plane after another a/c tells me there is FOD attached to the gear.
Better safe, than sorry! It's a bit cliché, but it's accurate.
There is no way, no way, I'm gonna be taking off without having someone check out the plane after another a/c tells me there is FOD attached to the gear.
Better safe, than sorry! It's a bit cliché, but it's accurate.
granlistillo
Well-Known Member
:yeahthat:
I would have called them up in a heartbeat. No need for you to feel foolish. Foolish and Irresponsible on the part of the flight crew. Might have had something in it, might not have been a bag. Touch a hot brake pad and ignite in the wheel well?
Seems to me the military takes FOD a lot more serious than the airlines.
Bumblebee
Commodore
No one said you're not a jerk
but you did the right thing, I would have at least said thanks (sans the sarcastic remark) . . . Jetcareers is the place for sarcastic remarks . . .as evidenced above!
JetBlast
Well-Known Member
:yeahthat:
RICHARD5
Well-Known Member
I agree you did the right thing. You supplied additional information and they made their PIC decision.
Something else to consider: I've seen bags roll before the wind as if they are empty. Sometimes, they are not. No telling what FOD was there that you didn't see.
One time I found a small paper bag lodged against the ramp fence. The only way it got there was by the wind. The bag was filled with old safety wire of various lengths. Around jets that may not be a big deal but around props it sure is. You just never know.
Another story involving safety wire: A P-51 pilot showed me his recently changed 4 blade prop. One blade about 1/4 of the way out from the hub had a gash on the leading edge. He told me a 6" piece of safety wire had bent itself around the blade and he flew it that way for about one hour. The wire had cut 2" across the blade in that time. He could only guess that it was at run-up that he picked up the wire. And you just can't see it on a spinning prop. The old prop is on a hanger wall at Ukiah, CA just a couple doors north of the terminal if anyone is interested.
Lesson is, even the tiniest FOD can be disastrous.
Something else to consider: I've seen bags roll before the wind as if they are empty. Sometimes, they are not. No telling what FOD was there that you didn't see.
One time I found a small paper bag lodged against the ramp fence. The only way it got there was by the wind. The bag was filled with old safety wire of various lengths. Around jets that may not be a big deal but around props it sure is. You just never know.
Another story involving safety wire: A P-51 pilot showed me his recently changed 4 blade prop. One blade about 1/4 of the way out from the hub had a gash on the leading edge. He told me a 6" piece of safety wire had bent itself around the blade and he flew it that way for about one hour. The wire had cut 2" across the blade in that time. He could only guess that it was at run-up that he picked up the wire. And you just can't see it on a spinning prop. The old prop is on a hanger wall at Ukiah, CA just a couple doors north of the terminal if anyone is interested.
Lesson is, even the tiniest FOD can be disastrous.
KLB
Well-Known Member
I would have been more than happy if you had given me that headsup. The bleed air regulators are in the wheel well of the aircraft I'm operating. Any leak of the regulators equals a bad day within itself for me. If there's FOD in the wheel well(where all types of hydraulic lines run through also) that can create or help feed a fire would be a "doubly" bad day for me.
I say good job to you for recognizing and speaking up to warn the other crew.
I say good job to you for recognizing and speaking up to warn the other crew.
kellwolf
Piece of Trash
Zap, like everyone else said, you made the right call. Me personally, I woulda thanked you over the radio for bringing it to my attention and gone back to get the rampers to look at it. You don't even need to come into a gate for something like that. We've got a section next to our gates in MEM we could pull into, the rampers could go grab the bag, and we'd be on our merry way. Wouldn't even have to block back in to get it done. I'd rather do that than risk the thing getting ingested into the engines. Sure, it'll blow off. But where is it gonna go when it blows off is my question.
Cruise
Well-Known Member
Exactly!
granlistillo
Well-Known Member
I wonder what the crew would have done if they had the FAA in the jumpseat?
or
I bet they would have beat feet to a hard stand if another a/c called up and said the FAA 121 inspector onboard recommended they get it checked out.
or
I bet they would have beat feet to a hard stand if another a/c called up and said the FAA 121 inspector onboard recommended they get it checked out.
kellwolf
Piece of Trash
If you operate every flight like you've got the feds on the JS, then when you DO have them, you won't even break a sweat.
granlistillo
Well-Known Member
Agreed. Just so I am not misunderstood, that was the gist of my post. If you wouldn't do it with a fed, dont do it without. However, that said, I think everyone is on their best behavior with a fed.
Great job, I often have my lunch sitting at FTW, and have called the twr just to let them know a 172 has a seat belt hanging out the door in the run up area.
As far as the crew on the E145, it wouldn't have taken much time to investigate the issue on the ground. I think that would still fall in the "pre-flight" catagory.
As far as the crew on the E145, it wouldn't have taken much time to investigate the issue on the ground. I think that would still fall in the "pre-flight" catagory.
Sisson2011
Well-Known Member
If I was the crew I probably would've appreciated the call too. I honestly would've more than likely made the same decision they did, "it will blow off". However, I would've thanked you for the call. I probably would have cycled the gears another time or two. And if something did register as being wrong, I would have a starting point to figure out what the cause might be. I would have never been able to guess it if you didn't call. I always want people telling me stuff, I can't see my plane.
I mean have you ever been the guy to honk at someone on the highway to point out that their gas cap is still open? Or been honked at...
I mean have you ever been the guy to honk at someone on the highway to point out that their gas cap is still open? Or been honked at...
rjmore
Gastrointestinally Challenged
It never hurts to say something. I felt like a complete idiot one day in EWR when I told an America West A320 that he had a panel open. From the angle I was looking at and the way it was hinged, his outflow valve looked like an open access panel of some sort. Needless to say I took some pretty good ribbing from the aircraft around when they pulled off to the other side of the runway and were told by another 320 that it was their outflow valve. Talk about feeling like an idiot.
However, another time I reported a rabbit running across the taxiways in EWR and the controller made a snide remark. I reminded him that the engines of the 737-300 heading that way tend not to react well to ingesting a 5-10 pound animal. Amazing, they'll shut down a taxi way to pick up a work glove but I get ragged on for telling them about something much more damaging. Anyway, the controller said good point and the 737 thanked me when they reported the bunny ran ten feet in front of them after they stopped.
I'd rather look like a fool and be wrong than to not say anything and be right.
However, another time I reported a rabbit running across the taxiways in EWR and the controller made a snide remark. I reminded him that the engines of the 737-300 heading that way tend not to react well to ingesting a 5-10 pound animal. Amazing, they'll shut down a taxi way to pick up a work glove but I get ragged on for telling them about something much more damaging. Anyway, the controller said good point and the 737 thanked me when they reported the bunny ran ten feet in front of them after they stopped.
I'd rather look like a fool and be wrong than to not say anything and be right.
Bandit_Driver
Gold Member
I would have told them myself too. I would rather error on the side of caution than not say anything and have seen something happened. I think we all have made bonehead comments on radio at one time or another. If you are wrong learn from it, taking the ribbing and move on.
I once told a DC-9 about a split elevator. This normal for DC-9 in certain conditions. I also mentioned the spoilers on Dash 8 myself too.
I've also flown a plane with an access panel open and nothing was said to us. Either no one saw it or didn't want to speak up. It ended leading to jammed tail skid.
I once told a DC-9 about a split elevator. This normal for DC-9 in certain conditions. I also mentioned the spoilers on Dash 8 myself too.
I've also flown a plane with an access panel open and nothing was said to us. Either no one saw it or didn't want to speak up. It ended leading to jammed tail skid.