Hi,
I have also consistently said that the design demands heavy criticism where warranted (and have done so many times), but to be able to do that, and you may not agree, I think one should be trained on the airplane and have some experience with it, because, some of the problems seen by those not on the airplane disappear when one knows and flies the machine.
All is there
(Criticism and experience) very easy to read and understand about the famous Pitot probes
Airbus. December 1995 TFU 34.13.00.005: « STRONG CUMULO-NIMBUS (Cb) CONTAINING A HIGH DENSITY OF ICE CRYSTALS CAN BEEN ENCOUNTERED, PARTICULARLY IN THE INTERTROPICAL CONVERGENCE ZONE (ITCZ). IN SUCH AN ICY AND TURBULENT ATMOSPHERE, THE A/C AIR DATA PARAMETERS (PRESSURE DEPENDANT) MAY BE SEVERELY DEGRADED, EVEN THOUGH THE PROBE HEATERS WORK PROPERLY. IT HAS APPEARED THAT THE CHARACTERISTICS OF SUCH AN ENVIRONMENT COULD EXCEED THE WEATHER SPECIFICATIONS FOR WHICH THE PITOT PROBES ARE CURRENTLY CERTIFIED. »
January 1999. Report BFU accident 5X002-0/98 : « The specification for the pitot tubes should be changed so as to allow unrestricted flight operations in heavy rain and under severe icing conditions. The installation of the improved pitot tubes already designed should subsequently be prescribed for all types concerned by the SIL no. 34-0147 (A 320, A 321, A 330, A 340). »
And .... ? .... AF447
