Narrative:

The medium large transport inspection and deicing programs are not working as they are structured now. This is not a new or frivolous complaint. We have continuously stated that the flight crew should be responsible for the ice inspection. Company has vigorously objected to this position by using maintenance and ground service personnel at different times and stations over the past several yrs. The lack of a consistent policy has led to such confusion what we even have station mgrs developing their own, somewhat uninformed, procedure. Company must develop a comprehensive solution to the inspection and deicing of medium large transport wings that ensures the safe dispatch of these aircraft, free of ice and frost, and in compliance with the FARS. We realize that to do this will require substantial corporate resources. A catwalk must be provided so that the entire wing from slats to flaps may be felt with the bare hands on both the pre and post deicing inspections. This bare hand feel is the only way to assure that the wing is free of any contaminant. Implementation of an improved and comprehensive training for both company flcs and all deicing personnel that specifically outlines the causes of the wing clear ice phenomena and explains the dangers of undetected and unremoved wing ice. Our chief executive keeps investing in studies to find the difference between air carrier Y and company and how air carrier Y manages to keep constructive relations with its employees. It's really quite simple. At air carrier Y senior management treats their employees as assets to be utilized in harmony with management to get the best job done: at our company, senior management considers their employees as costs to be controled and put up with as they are necessary evils to management getting the job done. This filters down through all levels of management and provides the atmosphere which makes solving a problem like medium large transport clear ice so impossible.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG CAPT'S RPT ABOUT ACFT DEICE PROBLEMS AND PREFLT INSPECTION POLICY WITHIN HIS COMPANY.

Narrative: THE MLG INSPECTION AND DEICING PROGRAMS ARE NOT WORKING AS THEY ARE STRUCTURED NOW. THIS IS NOT A NEW OR FRIVOLOUS COMPLAINT. WE HAVE CONTINUOUSLY STATED THAT THE FLC SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ICE INSPECTION. COMPANY HAS VIGOROUSLY OBJECTED TO THIS POS BY USING MAINT AND GND SVC PERSONNEL AT DIFFERENT TIMES AND STATIONS OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YRS. THE LACK OF A CONSISTENT POLICY HAS LED TO SUCH CONFUSION WHAT WE EVEN HAVE STATION MGRS DEVELOPING THEIR OWN, SOMEWHAT UNINFORMED, PROC. COMPANY MUST DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE SOLUTION TO THE INSPECTION AND DEICING OF MLG WINGS THAT ENSURES THE SAFE DISPATCH OF THESE ACFT, FREE OF ICE AND FROST, AND IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE FARS. WE REALIZE THAT TO DO THIS WILL REQUIRE SUBSTANTIAL CORPORATE RESOURCES. A CATWALK MUST BE PROVIDED SO THAT THE ENTIRE WING FROM SLATS TO FLAPS MAY BE FELT WITH THE BARE HANDS ON BOTH THE PRE AND POST DEICING INSPECTIONS. THIS BARE HAND FEEL IS THE ONLY WAY TO ASSURE THAT THE WING IS FREE OF ANY CONTAMINANT. IMPLEMENTATION OF AN IMPROVED AND COMPREHENSIVE TRAINING FOR BOTH COMPANY FLCS AND ALL DEICING PERSONNEL THAT SPECIFICALLY OUTLINES THE CAUSES OF THE WING CLR ICE PHENOMENA AND EXPLAINS THE DANGERS OF UNDETECTED AND UNREMOVED WING ICE. OUR CHIEF EXECUTIVE KEEPS INVESTING IN STUDIES TO FIND THE DIFFERENCE BTWN ACR Y AND COMPANY AND HOW ACR Y MANAGES TO KEEP CONSTRUCTIVE RELATIONS WITH ITS EMPLOYEES. IT'S REALLY QUITE SIMPLE. AT ACR Y SENIOR MGMNT TREATS THEIR EMPLOYEES AS ASSETS TO BE UTILIZED IN HARMONY WITH MGMNT TO GET THE BEST JOB DONE: AT OUR COMPANY, SENIOR MGMNT CONSIDERS THEIR EMPLOYEES AS COSTS TO BE CTLED AND PUT UP WITH AS THEY ARE NECESSARY EVILS TO MGMNT GETTING THE JOB DONE. THIS FILTERS DOWN THROUGH ALL LEVELS OF MGMNT AND PROVIDES THE ATMOSPHERE WHICH MAKES SOLVING A PROBLEM LIKE MLG CLR ICE SO IMPOSSIBLE.

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.