Narrative:

The aircraft pushed back at XA31 to the hardstand for deicing. Deicing began at XB05. The aircraft had collected a moderate coat of snow and slush during the 4 hours on the ramp. Type I 60/40 percent was applied first, then type ii 100 percent was applied next. The deicing was completed at XB18. We started engines and taxied to runway 4L. 5 mins prior to takeoff I made a PA announcement that the first officer would be coming to the cabin to inspect the wings as now required by FAA regulations. When he returned, he said it was impossible to see through the type ii fluid on the cabin windows. Not only could you not tell if there was snow on the wings, but you couldn't tell if the wings were on the aircraft. He also said the passenger looked at him as if he was out of his mind. We were airborne at XB29. On sun, I talked with an medium large transport captain in bwi and asked if he had used type ii fluid deicing. He said he had been sprayed with type ii on the nose. The ground people were very careful not to get any on the windscreen, but at 80 KTS the fluid flowed over the windscreen and reduced his visibility drastically. The requirement to look at the wings from the cabin 5 mins prior to takeoff and the deicing fluid on cabin windows are not compatible. This is a requirement that can not be accomplished by cockpit crew members from inside the aircraft. The WX at ewr was light to moderate snow and the temperatures were above freezing.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CABIN WINDOWS OBSCURED BY RESIDUAL DEICING FLUID. CREW INSPECTION OF WINGS FOR ICE IS IMPOSSIBLE.

Narrative: THE ACFT PUSHED BACK AT XA31 TO THE HARDSTAND FOR DEICING. DEICING BEGAN AT XB05. THE ACFT HAD COLLECTED A MODERATE COAT OF SNOW AND SLUSH DURING THE 4 HRS ON THE RAMP. TYPE I 60/40 PERCENT WAS APPLIED FIRST, THEN TYPE II 100 PERCENT WAS APPLIED NEXT. THE DEICING WAS COMPLETED AT XB18. WE STARTED ENGS AND TAXIED TO RWY 4L. 5 MINS PRIOR TO TKOF I MADE A PA ANNOUNCEMENT THAT THE FO WOULD BE COMING TO THE CABIN TO INSPECT THE WINGS AS NOW REQUIRED BY FAA REGS. WHEN HE RETURNED, HE SAID IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE THROUGH THE TYPE II FLUID ON THE CABIN WINDOWS. NOT ONLY COULD YOU NOT TELL IF THERE WAS SNOW ON THE WINGS, BUT YOU COULDN'T TELL IF THE WINGS WERE ON THE ACFT. HE ALSO SAID THE PAX LOOKED AT HIM AS IF HE WAS OUT OF HIS MIND. WE WERE AIRBORNE AT XB29. ON SUN, I TALKED WITH AN MLG CAPT IN BWI AND ASKED IF HE HAD USED TYPE II FLUID DEICING. HE SAID HE HAD BEEN SPRAYED WITH TYPE II ON THE NOSE. THE GND PEOPLE WERE VERY CAREFUL NOT TO GET ANY ON THE WINDSCREEN, BUT AT 80 KTS THE FLUID FLOWED OVER THE WINDSCREEN AND REDUCED HIS VISIBILITY DRASTICALLY. THE REQUIREMENT TO LOOK AT THE WINGS FROM THE CABIN 5 MINS PRIOR TO TKOF AND THE DEICING FLUID ON CABIN WINDOWS ARE NOT COMPATIBLE. THIS IS A REQUIREMENT THAT CAN NOT BE ACCOMPLISHED BY COCKPIT CREW MEMBERS FROM INSIDE THE ACFT. THE WX AT EWR WAS LIGHT TO MODERATE SNOW AND THE TEMPS WERE ABOVE FREEZING.

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.