The purpose of this document is to provide industry standards for the management of quality systems and processes for the proper deicing and anti-icing of aircraft on the ground using AMS1424 and AMS1428 qualified fluids (Types I, II, III, and IV) and non-fluid methods. AS6332 forms one part of three related SAE Aerospace Standards (AS) and should be read in conjunction with AS6285 and AS6286. Collectively, AS6285, AS6286, and AS6332 are known to the international community as the “global aircraft deicing standards.”
Exposure to weather conditions on the ground conducive to ice formation can cause the accumulation of frost, snow, slush, or ice on aircraft surfaces and components. These contaminants can adversely affect aircraft performance, stability, and control, and operation of mechanical devices such as control surfaces, sensors, flaps, and landing gear. If frozen deposits are present, other than those considered in the aircraft certification process, the performance of the aircraft may be compromised.
Regulations governing aircraft operations in icing conditions shall be followed. Specific rules for aircraft are set forth in the United States Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR), EASA Operation Regulations (EU-OPS), Canadian Aviation Regulations (CAR), and others. Paraphrased, these rules specify that no one may dispatch or take off an aircraft with frozen deposits on components of the aircraft that are critical to safe flight. A critical surface or component is one which could adversely affect the mechanical or aerodynamic function of an aircraft. In the event of differences or discrepancies in the requirements set out in this standard and any requirements set out in the domestic regulations applicable to the end user, the domestic regulation requirements shall supersede those set out in this standard.
Quality management concerns the establishment, documentation, implementation and maintenance of a system in order to deliver the required process outcome and to continually improve effectiveness. Quality management is therefore a system that allows the effective delivery of the clean aircraft concept. Although no system is perfect, it is necessary to ensure the operation and processes evolve and learn from both non-conforming practice and opportunities for improvement in this critical area of aircraft safety. As individual icing situations or aircraft types and models may require special procedures, this document can never replace the aircraft operator’s judgement. However, it does give guidance on the principles of systematic operation of deicing and the improvements that allow valuable learning from operations to be captured for even greater assurance of safe operations.
Changes in this Revision A include:
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Updated descriptive figure for a general quality management system.
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Updated Appendix A to clearly show the split between quality assurance (documented elements) and quality control (implemented elements) of the system.
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Minor editorial updates to further align AS6332 with AS6285 and AS6286.