Flight Crew Actions Following Aircraft Ground Anti-Icing

It has come to ALPA’s attention that a discrepancy exists in the current information regarding anti-icing training and procedures. Since we are in the middle of an icing season, it is important that flight crews take certain precautions to ensure that critical surfaces are adequately protected from contamination.

The ALPA Air Safety Organization (ASO) has issued a Safety Alert—“Flight Crew Actions Following Aircraft Ground De-Icing.” Pilots are encouraged to consider additional action prior to any flight that involves aircraft anti-ice operations.

Due to potential fluid and holdover time failures, your ASO recommends that flight crews consider visual inspection of the wings from the cabin for contamination after anti-icing has been completed, just prior to takeoff, if in their judgment, the existing weather conditions (including presence of precipitation) or the length of time from de-ice/anti-icing fluid application increases the probability of ice on the wing.

Pilots operating cargo aircraft without windows in the cabin who wish to inspect wing surfaces would need to take alternative action. If your airline does not have procedures in place to inspect the upper wing surfaces, contact your ALPA MEC Central Air Safety Committee and company representatives.

Pilots are also encouraged to check with their company concerning any potential changes to de-ice/anti-ice procedures to address this issue and file SMS/ASAP safety reports, if warranted.

By way of background, Transport Canada (TC) recently released Canadian Aviation Safety Alert 2022-06 (CASA 2022-06) to highlight that when TC issued its most recent revision of TP 14052—Guidelines for Aircraft Ground Icing Operations—it was expected that Revision C of the SAE International publication Aerospace Specification 6286 (AS6286) Aircraft Ground Deicing/Anti-Icing Training and Qualification Program, referred to in TP 14052, would be available. However, it was not published as planned due to limited resource availability. Consequently, Revision B of AS6286 remains available and contains “Table B.2.4 Amount of Fluid for Anti-Icing with Thickened Fluids,” found in Appendix B. The quantities provided in this table do not factor in aircraft anti-icing fluid (AAF) thickness variability. There is a risk that a fluid’s expected holdover times may not be attained if the quantities found in Table B.2.4 of SAE Aerospace Specification AS6286 are used as the basis for aircraft anti-icing.

CASA 2022-06 includes several recommendations to deal with the issue until the revised AS6286 is issued. ALPA has reached out to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to determine whether they have identified a similar concern. The FAA uses SAE and other resources to create their guidance to airlines; we anticipate that the FAA will be publishing some additional information.   

Pilots should review the Safety Alert and take the necessary action to ensure safety of flight during anti-ice operations.