by Wayne Woloshyn, Technical Team Lead, Flight Operations, Prairie and Northern Region, Transport Canada, Civil Aviation, Operations
Our Canadian winter returns with seasonal hazards and risks to be managed by the aviation world. The aircraft operator, flight and ground crews, and even clients have a role to play when it comes to ensuring compliance with aircraft icing regulations.
Responsible company owners and management understand that they have a critical role to play in preventing aircraft from taking off with frost, ice or snow adhering to any of its critical surfaces.
The following are a good reminder:
- Ensure all staff are aware of management’s enforcement of the icing regulations and on-going support for crews’ sound decision making
- Review company winter flying training and ground icing program (CASS 622.11)
- Bring “Icing” case studies into annual crew resource management (CRM) training
- Promote reporting of all relevant challenges within your safety management system (SMS) or safety meetings
- Identify remote destination airports, and know what facilities and equipment are available
- Try to collaborate with other operators in having facilities and equipment at remote locations
- Ensure there is training for the de-icing and anti-icing aircraft
Suggestions for flight crews:
- Complete all associated winter flying and ground icing program training
- Always obtain complete and thorough weather information
- Conduct a Threat–Error Management briefing prior to flight to ensure all potential threats are identified
- Inform passengers early if there is a possibility of delays
- Ensure management are informed of challenges, hazards and risks encountered by
flight crews - Be professional and set the example
There are many challenges to manage; the onus is on the operator to ensure the risk of pilots taking off with contaminated surfaces is mitigated. Unfortunately, there will be cancelling, delaying or diversion of flights when ground icing conditions exist, as there are when maintenance issues arise and there is lack of infrastructure at destination airports.
In the final analysis, we must trust disciplined decision making by flight crews regarding de-icing and anti-icing no different than adhering to loading restrictions or carrying of minimum required fuel. Flight crews must be supported by the operator and compliance to regulation ensured by Transport Canada. Since the accident in Fond-Du-Lac in 2017, efforts made by all concerned to reduce the risk of pilots taking off with contaminated surfaces have shown to be effective.