B737 FLC CONCERN REGARDING TERMINATION OF THE USE OF RAIN REPELLENT AND RESULTING PROB WHEN LNDG WITH HVY RAIN CONDITIONS.

Date: 1998-02 · Aircraft: B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model

Anomalies: other-unspecified

Synopsis

B737 FLC CONCERN REGARDING TERMINATION OF THE USE OF RAIN REPELLENT AND RESULTING PROB WHEN LNDG WITH HVY RAIN CONDITIONS.

Narrative

VERY HVY RAIN; TURB; AND WINDSHEAR ON SHORT FINAL TO RWY 5R AT CLE. HAD TO USE RAIN REPELLENT WITH WINDSHIELD WIPERS ON HIGH TO SEE RWY AT TOUCHDOWN. PROB: MEMO FROM DIRECTOR OF FLT OPS AT OUR AIRLINE STATES EPA HAS DECLARED RAIN REPELLENT FLUID CAN NO LONGER BE USED AND ACR'S B737'S WILL NO LONGER HAVE RAIN REPELLENT WHEN SUPPLIES RUN OUT. WE COULD NOT HAVE COMPLETED LNDG TODAY WITHOUT RAIN REPELLENT. THIS RIDICULOUS BUREAUCRATIC DECISION WILL ULTIMATELY CONTRIBUTE TO AN AIRLINE CRASH WITH RESULTING LOSS OF LIFE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THAT HE IS IN CAPT UPGRADE SCHOOL CURRENTLY AND THE INSTRUCTOR INDICATES THERE IS A NEW FLUID IN THE MAKING WHICH WILL NOT BE TOXIC. AS SOON AS IT IS TESTED THEY WILL BEGIN USING THAT. THE NEWER 700 AND 800 MODELS HAVE NO RAIN REPELLENT SYS AT ALL. RPTR'S MAIN CONCERN IS THAT AT TIMES THE WIPERS -- EVEN AT FULL ACTION -- CANNOT CLR THE WINDSHIELD ENOUGH TO MAKE VISION ACCEPTABLE. DEPTH PERCEPTION IS GREATLY IMPAIRED. THE HOTLINE WAS RECOMMENDED.

More incidents for this aircraft family →

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.