…As FAA Stands Firm On Caravan Icing AD

The FAA has no plans to revise recent Airworthiness Directives that require a tactile check by pilots to prevent icing problems on the Cessna Model 208 Caravan, the Regional Air Cargo Carriers Association (RACCA) said on Friday. RACCA representatives met with the FAA in mid-November and told the agency that the requirement that pilots must physically inspect the airframe for ice contamination within five minutes of takeoff was impractical at most airports. Since such inspections would likely have to take place in run-up areas, where lighting is often poor and other aircraft are operating, “the cure is seemingly more dangerous to pilots than the disease,” RACCA said. Still, the FAA is adamant that the inspection be conducted in the timeframe specified and points to the airplane’s record of icing-related accidents as the reason. RACCA still wants the FAA to explore alternate solutions.