It is a puzzle. For sixty years, the USAF had been flying to 50,000 feet, and experienced none of the "hitherto unknown characteristics of fuel icing".
Then BA038. Then Airbus is plagued by ice afflicting its mechanical sensors critical to airspeed data displays. Then Angle of Attack vanes.
It takes a cynic to lay off the issue on heating, metallurgy, and other well developed legacies of our aeronautical technologies.
If it is indeed down to sensor design, then shame on the kit and its sponsors who spec it. I don't believe it. Because if it is, we have some gaping holes in our technologies.
The alternative is to look elsewhere. I take note of Captain Scott's troublefree experience in the gen one 320. I have a friend who flew the 320 for ten years, nary a belch or hiccup. What is new that hasn't to do with sensors and heating?
Processing? Mitigating pathways post fail? Because if it is 'Probes', perhaps a return to yarn on the Radome? A Pendulum on the glareshield?
A33 thank you for the exquisite photography. I think I see the improvement in the AD compliant kit. The "base" cone is proud of the fuselage, where the original appears flush. It also appears the pivot is reduced in diameter, making it less susceptible to ice "sticking" its action.
I wonder if adding small "spades" at the vane trailing edge would increase the vanes ability to remain "in stream". Perhaps even making the vanes into a double, a "bi-vane". Anything that ancient that has problems begs a change of some sort.
Last edited by Lyman; 31st Dec 2012 at 13:55.