Commercial Fixed Wing
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 470
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Ground Event / Encounter FOD
Procedure; Human Factors; Company Policy
While preparing for the flight; the gate had a large amount of FOD in and around the Safety Zone. The aircraft had arrived early; and the previous crew had shut down. When we arrived at the aircraft; the ground air was not connected; and it was apparent that a FOD walkdown had not been done for awhile. I went down to the flight line to check on the air when I noticed lots of FOD in and around the Safety Zone. It looked as if no attempt had been made prior to the arrival or after our aircraft had arrived to clean FOD from the flight line. I found the following: 1 Transfer Tag; 1 paper bag tag; 2 strips of paper; 1 round red bag tag; 1 American Touristor bag tag; 1 blue tag; 1 bar code tag; 1 six pack top; 3 metal bag emblems; 5 zipper pulls; 1 lock; 1 lock with bag tag pull; 1 metal figure 8; 1 T bar; 1 Rayovac battery; 1 cigarette butt; 1 plastic razor attachment; 1 red plastic piece; 13 pieces of black plastic; 2 pieces of red stir sticks; 1 clear plastic piece; 1 red combination lock; 2 baggage feet; 1 dime; 2 metal washers; 1 rubber O-Ring; 1 tire valve insert; 1 orange ear plug; 1 blue string; and 1 black twist tie. There was no effort on the part of the Ground Operations personnel to pick up any of the more than 50 pieces of FOD. Since the jet arrived so early; there was plenty of time for Ground Operations personnel to conduct a good FOD walkdown. There was no excuse not to clean up the flight line of the large amount of FOD. There may be a belief that FOD walkdowns are being consistently done on the flight line; but they are not. The current habit pattern of not consistently doing a FOD walkdown before a flight arrives and before a flight departs needs to be replaced with the habit pattern of consistently doing a FOD walkdown. The Station Manager needs to take responsibility and active Leadership role in ensuring a FOD free environment on the flight line. In order to complete a proper FOD walkdown; Ramp agents need to physically walk through the Safety Zone with eyes on the ground to see and retrieve the FOD. I respectfully request some help with FOD awareness so we do not FOD one or more of our engines.
Air carrier Captain laments the large amount of FOD found under an near his aircraft during preflight.