Heated Floorboards

[tcasblue]

Never heard of them on the various aircraft I have flown. Is this an Airbus thing on certain types?

"...an Airbus A330 aircraft operated by Air XXXXX, was conducting flight XXXXX from
Venice/Marco Polo (LIPZ), Italy with 11 crew
members and 310 passengers on board. Approximately 45 minutes into the flight, a passenger
notified a cabin crew member that some smoke and sparks could be seen in the vicinity of the R2
door floor. The flight crew were notified, declared a MAYDAY with ATC and diverted to
Paris/Charles de Gaulle (LFPG), France. The flight crew donned their oxygen masks and
performed the appropriate checklists. The smoke was accompanied with an electric smell and
dissipated during the descent. During the final approach, some smoke and flames reappeared and
the cabin crew discharged a portable fire extinguisher. Once on the ground the fire brigade
inspected the aircraft and the aircraft was cleared to proceed to the terminal.
An heated Floor Board was found at fault. This phenomenon is already known and monitored by
Airbus with the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). Airbus Support has requested the
part for expertise and created a shared occurrence with EASA as part of Continued Airworthiness.
The Bureau d’Enquêtes et d’Analyses pour la sécurité (BEA) does not open an investigation into
this occurrence."

[pattern_is_full]

As the story implies, being introduced at the door threshold areas, not the full cabin:

http://www.goodrich.com/cap/systems/sisdocuments/Ice%20Detection%20and%20Protection%20Systems/Heated%20Floor%20Panels.pdf

[Avionker]

Seem to remember we had them on QF 747’s years ago. Could be mistaken, but don’t think so.

[Check Airman]

Our fleet has them as well. Didn’t even know it existed until recently.

[plhought]

They've been in our Airbus narrow bodies since late 80s.

Older heaters were electric heated tubes with air being drawn through them, then exhausted around the door "threshold" area under and around the floor.

​​​​​​I think the newer ones are actual electric elements in pads on the floor but I'd have to check the manuals.

They actually make a big difference keeping ice and nastyness from accumulating on the seals, and really keep check on any cold draught from the cabin door.

Switches are on the 2000VU panel or on the fancy touchscreen flight attendant panel labeled 'FPH ON/OFF' or something like that.

[Tom Sawyer]

They are on the A345/6 and A380 for sure, and later A330's in the door areas

Quite often they are de-activated as they suffer moisture ingress leading to corrosion and so fault messages, but not seen a report of one sparking before. They are C/B protected of course.

[Uplinker]

They are fitted under the galley floors in some Airbus FBW aircraft.
I have flown some with underfloor heaters for the pilots’ feet too - I think it was on A330.
Toasty !

[Centaurus]

In 1967 the two RAAF HS 748 VIP aircraft came with heated underfloor areas for the pilots feet. I was in the local training area at Canberra (Australia) when smoke appeared from the floor area so we landed in a hurry by which time the smoke had dissipated. I don't recall the origin of the problem.

[Tom Sawyer]

They are fitted under the galley floors in some Airbus FBW aircraft.
I have flown some with underfloor heaters for the pilots’ feet too - I think it was on A330.
Toasty !

Without getting my Airbus course notes out, so from memory, they are different things. Floor level heaters in the galley and flight deck are surface plate heaters with conditioned air supplied over them to give a warm air supply output. The heated floor panels in the door areas are electrical elements embedded into the floor boards and come under ATA 30 (Ice and Rain).

[Uplinker]

The one I flew, (which on reflection was A321 I think), had no air blowing onto my feet, the heat came from under the floor somehow.

I also seem to remember there were PBs on the overhead panel to select them on/off.

Oh, here we go - I was nearly right. From Airbus A321 FCOM:


The foot warmer system@ has a heating panel attached to each pedal. The temperature of the panels is about 20 °C (68 °F).

Applicable to: ALLThe Foot Warmer ON/OFF control switch@ is located on the main instrument panel, on the captain's and first officer's side.