Cabin attendant alleges capuccino-expresso machine in the first class compartment of 2 and 3 engine ...

Attributes
ACN	182543
Time
Date	199107
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	ground : preflight other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	ground : preflight other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty
Qualification	other other : other
ASRS Report	182543
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty other personnel other oversight : supervisor
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Our airline was brought on board a cappuccino/espresso machine for flight attendant use in flight. The coffee maker weighs approximately 20 pounds. It is not affixed to the aircraft in any way. We are to bring it out from its storage compartment. It is on the galley counter (on the widebody transport in a pull out shelf since it is the closest to the electrical outlet) and use it. The coffee maker holds 2 16 ounce carafes of water which heats to 180 degree F. It also has a vapor (pressure) outlet to heat milk in a metal container. It is the general consensus of the pilots and flight attendants that this is a machine dangerous to operate in flight. We would like your organization to review this matter since we feel our company has not completely explained the use of the machine to the FAA and we are doubtful of its certifiability. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: it was determined that neither the coffee machine nor the carafes are secured in any way on either the 2 or 3 engine widebody transport aircraft. The reporter disclosed has filed a complaint both with the air carrier and with the union, but there has been no official response.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CABIN ATTENDANT ALLEGES CAPUCCINO-EXPRESSO MACHINE IN THE FIRST CLASS COMPARTMENT OF 2 AND 3 ENG ACR WDB ACFT ARE UNSAFE BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT SECURED.

Narrative: OUR AIRLINE WAS BROUGHT ON BOARD A CAPPUCCINO/ESPRESSO MACHINE FOR FLT ATTENDANT USE IN FLT. THE COFFEE MAKER WEIGHS APPROX 20 POUNDS. IT IS NOT AFFIXED TO THE ACFT IN ANY WAY. WE ARE TO BRING IT OUT FROM ITS STORAGE COMPARTMENT. IT IS ON THE GALLEY COUNTER (ON THE WDB IN A PULL OUT SHELF SINCE IT IS THE CLOSEST TO THE ELECTRICAL OUTLET) AND USE IT. THE COFFEE MAKER HOLDS 2 16 OUNCE CARAFES OF WATER WHICH HEATS TO 180 DEG F. IT ALSO HAS A VAPOR (PRESSURE) OUTLET TO HEAT MILK IN A METAL CONTAINER. IT IS THE GENERAL CONSENSUS OF THE PLTS AND FLT ATTENDANTS THAT THIS IS A MACHINE DANGEROUS TO OPERATE IN FLT. WE WOULD LIKE YOUR ORGANIZATION TO REVIEW THIS MATTER SINCE WE FEEL OUR COMPANY HAS NOT COMPLETELY EXPLAINED THE USE OF THE MACHINE TO THE FAA AND WE ARE DOUBTFUL OF ITS CERTIFIABILITY. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION: IT WAS DETERMINED THAT NEITHER THE COFFEE MACHINE NOR THE CARAFES ARE SECURED IN ANY WAY ON EITHER THE 2 OR 3 ENG WDB ACFT. THE RPTR DISCLOSED HAS FILED A COMPLAINT BOTH WITH THE AIR CARRIER AND WITH THE UNION, BUT THERE HAS BEEN NO OFFICIAL RESPONSE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.

Cabin attendant alleges capuccino-expresso machine in the first class compartment of 2 and 3 engine air carrier widebody transport aircraft are unsafe because they are not secured.