BA A320s are being fitted with this. Five had the mod last month, and they are being fitted during hangar visits.

link to EASA is broken....

Over the years there have been a number of issues with proper cowling door latching. And procedural and sticker changes have been implemented.

Quite recently there was a more serious case in the UK which caused an in-flight engine fire (no casualties).

One of the basic things with the cowling latches is that they are at the bottom centerline. And you really have to go down on your knees to be able to see if they are properly latched and locked. Murphy ...

In the UK case maintenance had half-latched the doors because they were not finished yet. Were called away. Returned but picked the wrong plane. That plane had its cowling doors closed. So the assumed someone else had closed it. Leaving the doors half latched.

The pilot doing the preflight check had not noticed that the cowldoors were not properly closed. In the specific case there even was a gap visible while standing, because of the half-latched position.

Maintenance had not followed procedures. And yes these require putting and later retrieving (labels/flags) from the cockpit. If they had followed procedures, the pilots even when missing the opening on the walkaround, would have seen the labels in the cockpit.

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When you are interested in the subject the UK case gives a nice overview:
AAR_1-2015_G-EUOE 24May2013 A319 Heathrow

Not true, so no Murphy. :suspect: Pics. Moreover, as you rightly point out from the lessons of the BA accident, in order to find out the cowlings are open, there are sufficient clues other than the latches themselves.

It will sink in with the individual responsible but not the next one, or the next or the next.

Sacking people who make mistakes just leads to more hidden errors and the same mistakes made again and again. :=

No you don't.

Stand at the side of the engine near the anti-icing ring, facing aft.

Put your nearest hand against the cowling to steady yourself and then crouch down into a wicket keeper's crouch. Place your other hand on the ground and then you can lean your head down enough to see the cowl latches. Your knees don't touch the ground at all. You can also check the engine drain mast for leaks while you are there.

All done, no excuses. (You might at worst get a wet hand*, but better than an in-flight turn-back, or worse) :ok:



*dry it on your hi-vis.

Didn't the BA report also say that beside the obvious latch below the cowling is weirdly aligned by design to indicate incorrect closure?