Pilots Could Lose Control If Seats Move

Years ago, Cessna was hit with an Airworthiness Directive (AD) to ensure that its pilot seats would not suddenly fly back on its rails when the aircraft took off. The effect of a pilot pulling back all the way back on the yoke during departure could certainly be catastrophic and several planes went down when the pilots lost control after their seats moved all the way aft.  The fix was a simple metal lock, to ensure the seats stayed where the pilot placed them.

Now, the FAA has issued an AD (2006-22-04) for just about all Airbus aircraft currently flying, for essentially the same reason.

Of course, on a fancy airplane like the Airbus, it's not just a simple pin in a hole along the seat rail that keeps the seat in place. An actuator used to move the pilot's and co-pilot's seat forward and aft, must be inspected because of reports of heavy wear to the gears. The fix will, as the FAA says, "prevent uncommanded movement of the seat during takeoff or landing, which could result in interference with the operation of the airplane and consequent temporary loss of airplane control."

(As any pilot will tell you who has had his seat roll back during take-off, there is no more helpless feeling as you watch your instrument panel disappear in the distance, or hold onto the yoke like a grab bar and find the nose angling up like an F-15 on afterburner. If you are wearing one of those seatbelts that automatically cinch up to prevent any slack, the results can be quite frightening. If you don't have a copilot, timely recovery may be impossible -- Ed.)

The FAA airworthiness directive matches a French AD, and is estimated to affect about 743 airplanes of US registry. It becomes effective December 4, 2006... and the estimated cost to the airlines for the fix will be about half a million dollars.

FMI: www.faa.gov