AF A330 PitotTubes vs. A320/319/321 Pitot Tubes

[metrojet]

All:

Can anyone please elaborate about the Airbus Directive to change the pitot tubes on the AF A330's. I have a few questions -

Did this directive apply to all active A330/A340 type aircraft - and if it did, what was the difference between the installed part and the newer pitot tubes?

Why was the Airbus 320/319/321's not included in this directive. I would assume that the pitot tubes on all airbus's would be similar - and are they all manufactured by the same company?

What was the reason this directive was issued initially - what were the problems (if any) with the original pitot tubes?

Thank you -
Metrojet

[Joetom]

The main thread has all the info about these pitot tubes, an Airbus TFU has been pasted, have a look, good reading.
.
Worth remembering old or new pitot tubes may have same/similar results in bad weather (moisture/cold mix is not a nice one for these items)

[BigHitDH]

The original AD was put in place because of burrs inside the drainage holes, leading to accretion of ice/contamination.

Google it, you'll find plenty of info.

[purgatore75]

....good morning guys.
The AD is dealing with a particular pitot p/n that in certain weather condition is working in an "out of project ambient" and read an erroneus air data depending upon the amount of freezing moisture entered/surrounding the probe.......those a/c with that pitot p/n working in conjunctions with an Air Data Computer with a particular p/n should be modifyed in order to avoid any unairwortiness condition of flight.

[jeff64]

A service bulletin was issued in the past concerning the first models of pitot tubes for A320 family. This SB was mandatory for airlines. The had the obligation to change the pitots.
With the older pitots, there were some issues with Air France 320 (unreliable speed indication, etc), particularly for the 320's operating in the caribean (fort de france etc)

The SB issued a few years ago for the 330's / 340's was not mandatory, so some pitots were changed on the Air France fleet, but not the totality...

The NTSB is investigating two more cases of recent 330's who had the same problems as AF447 (but who landed safely).
TAM aircraft from MIA to Brazil, by the end of may 2009
NWA aircraft to Japan, Jun 23rd.

[Graybeard]

Have there been reports of multiple pitot icing in Boeings?

[ampclamp]

have not seen any myself greybeard but it depends on the pitot brand and if anyone has them on their boeings.

I think the vendor with problems was Thales. Goodrich and Rosemount also make pitots.If airlines didnt have the Thales units and had Goodrich probes instead, my guess is we'd have nothing to talk about.:)