tornado
11-06-2008, 07:13
US and European regulators are recommending that carriers inspect the carbon brakes of aircraft after finding that modern runway de-icing fluids, containing organic salts, can damage the carbon components and potentially lead to brake failure. The US FAA is planning to modify runway de-icer specifications once a new formal testing protocol has been endorsed. But it is advising operators of carbon brake-equipped aircraft to carry out detailed visual inspection of carbon heat packs for signs of corrosion or other damage. While carbon brakes have been fitted to aircraft for several years, the switch to organic-salt de-icing fluids – which are considered more beneficial to the environment – has introduced a risk to their integrity. Aircraft operations in snow or ice can result in slush on the ground, mixed with de-icing fluid, being sprayed into the brakes and their carbon plates, particularly during take-off or landing. Gear retraction exacerbates the problem by
More... (http://www.flightglobal.com/Articles/2008/06/10/224573/checks-advised-as-de-icing-fluid-poses-risk-to-carbon-brakes.html)
More... (http://www.flightglobal.com/Articles/2008/06/10/224573/checks-advised-as-de-icing-fluid-poses-risk-to-carbon-brakes.html)