Narrative:

On a flight from phl; we had 91 minutes on the ground from the time we pushed off the gate until takeoff. During that time we were directed to taxi to runway 27L via taxiway sa behind another carrier. Taxiway sa is a very narrow taxiway with grass and stones on either side. The other carrier had both engines operating and appeared to be using the minimum thrust required to initiate taxi each time the line of jets moved forward. However; because taxiway sa is so narrow; the other carrier's engines (two engines) were blowing loose debris toward our jet from the grassy; stony area on either side of the taxiway. Although we had no apparent FOD damage; the potential for engine FOD on this narrow taxiway is a possibility. We can either fix the problem or avoid the problem. In order to fix the problem; phl airport ground maintenance needs to widen taxiway sa or in some way secure/remove the FOD hazards from the sides of the taxiway. We can avoid the problem by increasing the interval between jets on taxiway sa or by not taxiing on taxiway sa at all.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-700 CAPT POINTS OUT THE POTENTIAL FOR FOD ON PHL'S NARROW TXWY SA.

Narrative: ON A FLT FROM PHL; WE HAD 91 MINUTES ON THE GND FROM THE TIME WE PUSHED OFF THE GATE UNTIL TAKEOFF. DURING THAT TIME WE WERE DIRECTED TO TAXI TO RWY 27L VIA TXWY SA BEHIND ANOTHER CARRIER. TXWY SA IS A VERY NARROW TXWY WITH GRASS AND STONES ON EITHER SIDE. THE OTHER CARRIER HAD BOTH ENGINES OPERATING AND APPEARED TO BE USING THE MINIMUM THRUST REQUIRED TO INITIATE TAXI EACH TIME THE LINE OF JETS MOVED FORWARD. HOWEVER; BECAUSE TXWY SA IS SO NARROW; THE OTHER CARRIER'S ENGINES (TWO ENGINES) WERE BLOWING LOOSE DEBRIS TOWARD OUR JET FROM THE GRASSY; STONY AREA ON EITHER SIDE OF THE TXWY. ALTHOUGH WE HAD NO APPARENT FOD DAMAGE; THE POTENTIAL FOR ENGINE FOD ON THIS NARROW TXWY IS A POSSIBILITY. WE CAN EITHER FIX THE PROB OR AVOID THE PROB. IN ORDER TO FIX THE PROB; PHL ARPT GND MAINT NEEDS TO WIDEN TXWY SA OR IN SOME WAY SECURE/REMOVE THE FOD HAZARDS FROM THE SIDES OF THE TXWY. WE CAN AVOID THE PROB BY INCREASING THE INTERVAL BETWEEN JETS ON TXWY SA OR BY NOT TAXIING ON TXWY SA AT ALL.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.