Stobart Air sea salt encounter

smurfjed

http://www.aaiu.ie/sites/default/files/report-attachments/REPORT%202015-007.pdf

*SYNOPSIS*

The aircraft, which was on a scheduled passenger flight, carried out a
go-around from its first approach to Runway (RWY) 25 at Cork Airport (EICK)
in stormy weather, due to a significant increase in indicated airspeed on
short final. The aircraft then positioned under radar control for a second
approach to the same runway. Its track brought it south of EICK, close to the
coast and at times over the sea. During this time, a thick layer of sea salt
formed on the front windscreens, obscuring the Flight Crew’s forward
visibility. As it was not possible to acquire the necessary visual references
for landing, a second go-around was flown.

The Flight Crew flew the aircraft to areas of shower activity and a small
portion of the Commander’s windscreen was cleared. A third approach was
flown to a successful landing.

What a brilliant solution!

Stinicker

Do planes not have windscreen washers? or would they just freeze up all the time from the low temps at high altitude?

Wise Old Elf

Spotted this on the journal.ie earlier but haven't read the full report yet. I think it mentioned that the windscreen heaters dried out the salt water making the wipers useless. (Edit: re-read and you mentioned washers not wipers, sorry)

Great response from pilots!

Stinicker

Stinicker wrote: »

Do planes not have windscreen washers? or would they just freeze up all the time from the low temps at high altitude?

They do but as noted in the reported they were useless on this occasion. It was thought screen heat caused the salt to dry and cake on hard, reminds me of the many times over the winter my nozzles froze over and I tried to slipstream a HGV to get some moisture to wash my windscreen till my nozzles thawed.

Alaba320

[Deleted User] wrote: »

They do but as noted in the reported they were useless on this occasion. It was thought screen heat caused the salt to dry and cake on hard, reminds me of the many times over the winter my nozzles froze over and I tried to slipstream a HGV to get some moisture to wash my windscreen till my nozzles thawed.

ATRs are not fitted with window washers. Only Wipers.

ProfessorPlum

smurfjed wrote: »

http://www.aaiu.ie/sites/default/files/report-attachments/REPORT%202015-007.pdf



What a brilliant solution!

I see what you did there - very clever

Great thinking and very well handled by the crew. Always pays to think outside the box!

Sterling Archer

ProfessorPlum wrote: »

I see what you did there - very clever

Great thinking and very well handled by the crew. Always pays to think outside the box!

Or outside the cockpit