Soda ‘Gunk’ May be Cause of Seats Coming Loose on American Planes
Don’t spill your soda on the seat tracks on American planes. They’ll come loose and you’ll go flying…
American Airlines has been battling bankruptcy reorganization, employee union contracts and a PR nightmare as they cut thousands of jobs.
But now they have a new challenge: Soda Gunk
Yes. Soda Gunk.
American said on Friday that spilled drinks, candy and food could have worked its way in to the seat locking mechanisms causing seats to come loose of their planes.
Yes, They really said this.
CNN reports:
‘Something called the seat lock plunger mechanism can “get gunked up over time with people spilling sodas, popcorn, coffee or whatever and that can affect that locking mechanism on the ground that locks the seat to the floor,” airline spokeswoman Mary Frances Fagan said Friday.
Apparently, worn locking pins can get stuck when food and beverages spill onto them, allowing seat rows to come unhinged, she said.
“My question is, why haven’t we seen this before?” said Bill Waldock, professor and crash lab director at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s Prescott, Arizona, campus. “Did the gunk start building up and decide to falter in the planes at the same time? I kind of doubt that honestly.”
Waldock called the airline’s explanation “curious,” adding that it “seemed to be unique to the 757, and to the ones that they reconfigured.”‘
Agreed. Why do only the 757s get the gunk on them? Are there messier passengers on Boeing 757s?
C’mon American. You can do better than this.
Image: Flickr [waponigirl]
Category: Airnation
That may be true but two planes from the same. airline, and the same type of aircraft. Sounds fishy to me. I’m just saying.
Me too.
Soda: I’m pretty sure not,
Unions: maybe but unlikely,
Bad installation or improper maintenance: very likely.
Come on there trying to tell us that 8 Boeing B757-200′s (powered by Rolls-Royce RB211 engines) would have enough gunk in the seat rails to do so? 1 757 maybe but 8 just unimaginable.
It seems like yet again American Airline is taking the general public for a bunch of morons…
Speedbird 95,
Are you seriously relating the engine type of the aircraft to the issue of the seats??
Heck no I love the Rolls-Royce RB211 engine and since I love it so much I decided to mention it. No the seat issue is:
a) Bad design
b) Improper installation,
c) Improper maintenance.
No, answer the question Sebastian. Are you seriously trying to suggest that unions the cause of the seats coming loose?
It is something to look at. It’s been known to happen in the past. e.g. EPA in 1981-82. In Canada.
About half of AA’s 100 757 aircraft were retrofitted with a new seat design this summer, and these are the aircraft with the defective seats. Soda may perpetuate the degree of danger, but the ultimate cause is the seat design.
Totally agree with you. But I have two questions:
1. Just how much gunk can you get in dose rails in such a sort time?
2. Would that amount really be enough to do something like this?
I’m getting tired of having to edit comments because some of you can’t respect our rules. So consider this a warning.
If you are talking about me I am very sorry about making you do over time.
Mr. Ferrara,
Can you be more specific please? Who is/are the guilty party/parties?
Nothing to do with you Ed. It’s the name calling that we won’t tolerate. It ruins it for everyone else. They know who they are.
He’s got a few alias’. He’s been a parasite on a host of aviation related forums.
I’d be interested in what kind of comments are being deleted, and if you are tired of editing 1 or 2 comments, guess what???
As I said above Sky, it’s when some decide they have the right to name call and we’re not going to allow that here.
If someone doesn’t like that, then they can go elsewhere.
If ” Soda Gunk” is their determined failure mode and is what came out of their FMEA then no one should fly American as they are utterly clueless about problem solving
why does it happen on 757 but not happen on others aircraft?
Hugh, that’s what i’d like to know. These seats MUST have been installed on other aircraft types also…
anyone know what product or manufacturing they using?
Hugh, I understand that the refurb was completed by Timco in NC. They now own a seat manufacturer called Brice. I cannot confirm but possibly Chris might know if they have supplied the seats as well as performed the refurb. I think they were located in California but will also start seat manufacturing in NC co-located with Timco Aero Services.
The soda thing is preposterous. They need a better PR division at AA. If they have seats falling around a cabin on takeoff because someone spilled some soda or coffee then they should ground the fleet and file Chapter 7.
TSA Will issue the following announcement:
NEW TERROR THREAT!!! ALL CANDY, SODA, AND GUNK BANNED FROM AMERICAN AIRLINES 757′s. 200$ fine and possible prison sentences will result for spilling liquids or dropping food on floors.
Seriously! The only way soda or any other gunk would affect a seat installation is if the track was full and prevented the lock plunger to fully engage the track once the seat foot in in position. That then becomes a criminal maintence failure. Some mechanic knew that lock was not fully seated. If they can sell the soda idea it is probably their best choice.
o=o=o=o <— Have you seen a seat track?
Pete,
There should be a record of the interior refurbish complete with signatures and dates etc. unless of course it got “lost”. The soda and coffee claim looks almost as “criminal” a defense. They have admitted to performing faulty maintenance if they continue to declare the seat displacements came from “funky” seat racks. Somebody put the seats into the airplane and on the tracks. This doesn’t bode well for American nor Timco if that is where the maint was done. The FAA also bears some responsibility for inadequate oversight. Three airplanes actually had the seats come loose. It was over a very short period of time. All the FAA could do was stand by and watch and nod their collective heads when AA decided to ground and inspect the potentially affected aircraft.
Ed Jeszka
FAA Aviation Safety Inspector, Retired
FWA, FAA Whistleblower Alliance
Pete,
One additional issue. I think it was either plane #2 or #3 but the report was that the seat row came completely off the track. That would indicate more than simply a dirty seat track, at least at first look. I don’t think there is enough room between rows to angle the row enough to get it off the track. More than just dirt from what I can see. Maybe an independent review should be done to determine what really happened. It seems that neither AA or FAA is up to telling the “whole truth and nothing but the truth” on this one. Too many dollars on the line, not to worry about aviation safety.
Even on a triple seat there two legs each in it’s own track. The insert and lock positions are at 1″ intervals, It can be a real bear to get them to both lock. Sometimes a mallett is employed. But BOTH legs (4 hold downs) have to disconect before the seat is “Loose”.
Pete,
Yes, makes you kind of wonder about the story, doesn’t it?
American Airlines has the most beautiful airplanes but how can they be so miserable not to give even a snack onboard. A canned beer cost $5.00 yeara ago. They used to give a small pack of peanuts but I understand not anymore. Such a big airline. Shame.
So pretty, and the seats fall off the tracks.
well I don’t buy this for one second—–maybe someone should tell them that ALL these things should be inspected on the major checks that all aircraft should undergo! Saw a tv programme where even the toilet flush mechanisms got a thorough overhaul on a British Airways 747! so seats should be on the list!??