Identification of Major FOD Contributors in Aviation Industry

Abstract

Aviation safety is considered of paramount importance, and the Foreign Object Debris and the resulting Foreign Object Damage (FOD) is one of the major causes that put aviation safety at risk. FOD Prevention is thus a continual challenge for all aircraft operators and maintenance crew. It costs the aviation industry millions of dollars every year. This financial effect is a result of direct costs, such as harm to aircraft structures or damage of aircraft engines, as well as the indirect costs, which include flight schedule delays, cancellations, disruptions, and additional effort for the employees. In addition, on occasion, more critical than the financial impact, is the safety impact and potential loss of human life associated with occurrences caused by FOD. It is therefore ranked as the most likely potential ground-based cause that can lead to a catastrophic aviation event. The present chapter is based on statistical analysis of aircraft occurrences attributed to various types of FOD during the last ten years of operations in an aviation organization. Eight major cause factors contributing towards these cases have been identified. A broad FOD prevention and control plan is thus proposed to address the foremost cause factors and improve organizational response to FOD. The objective of the research is to promote ground and flight safety and the preservation of assets by reducing FOD.