Commercial Fixed Wing
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument
Troubleshooting
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
General Maintenance Action
Procedure; Human Factors; Incorrect / Not Installed / Unavailable Part; Environment - Non Weather Related
During my before start flow on the door/oxy page I found that the over-wing exits were not 'ARMED' Maintenance was summoned and after much investigation it was discovered that the airplane was taken out of storage a few days prior. When the airplanes are 'mothballed' a pin is installed in the blow bottle for the slide so that they are not inadvertently deployed. What I find disturbing is this airplane was being flown for a number of days with the over-wing exits unarmed! Very unsafe and illegal.Nothing causal just our normal flows/procedures. In these trying times we have pay special attention to proper N numbers; logbook numbers match; databases are up to date etc.Slow down! Look over the release; do a thorough preflight check. Make sure Maintenance has put the proper notations in the logbook i.e. gear pins removed; pitot static covers removed and Emergency Exit window bottle pins removed!
During before start flows we identified that the over-wing exit slides were not armed. We called Maintenance and they troubleshot the problem. After multiple circuit breaker resets Maintenance appeared to open the exits and then the slides were armed and the exits doors reset. Maintenance documented the procedure in the AML and said that they 'reset the system.'It's possible the aircraft flew several times without the over-wing exit slides being armed.
Air carrier Captain reported that the over-wing doors were not armed and the aircraft had been flown for several days in this condition. The aircraft had recently come from storage and the escape slides had not been enabled for deployment by Maintenance.