What is F.O.D.?

Well in a nut shell F.O.D. is an acronym that stands for “Foreign Object Damage.” F.O.D. is any damage in which any type of object that may or may not compromise the safety and/or performance to something mechanical, such as an aircraft. It’s basically and commonly any type of debris that can potentially cause damage to an aircraft engine if ingested out on a ramp or runway of an airfield/airport. The geese, that were sucked into the engines of the US Airways plane that crashed into the Hudson River on January 15, 2009 had shut down the engine, was F.O.D.. Flying F.O.D. but F.O.D. none the less.

When I was in the Air Force as an ARFF fire fighter we were required along with others working on the flight line, to pick up any such items while working on the airfield, and even check each tire of ARFF vehicles or other vehicles that were driven on the flight line. With all the activity that’s on an airport parking ramp, taxiway, and runways, keeping it all cleared and F.O.D. free is a continuous, on going, labor intense job. Very important if you think what the consequence can be by not picking up an item that doesn’t belong.

In the news today, the term F.O.D. was highlighted in a big way. You’ve may or may not have heard about the incident but here’s a YouTube video of what I’m talking about :



The aircraft is a Boeing 747 and was getting ready to depart Los Angeles international airport with 245 passages. The F.O.D. in this case is an empty baggage container sucked into the number one engine of the aircraft. Something like this should never happen, but due to probable human error of having an object not tied down on a container trailer getting to close to the engine intake area it did. It shows the straight of a jet engine when it’s not even at full power, more then likely at idle seeing the aircraft was on a taxiway.

So all the news and manly those headlines such as “Baggage Container Sucked Into Jet Engine,” or “Jet ‘Eats’ Baggage Cart On Runway In LA,” even “Jumbo Jet carrying hundreds of passengers grounded when baggage container is sucked into engine” can be sum up into three letters…

F.O.D.

I’m blogging about it today mainly because I still have to deal with and be aware of it in my current work as an ARFF fire fighter. The two examples the geese and baggage container are fairly large items, but an item as small as a nut or bolt can ripe through a aircraft engine causing a ground emergency to take place that can make for a bad day. Watching out for those small things are just important and can be as dangerous as large ones. Seeing news about F.O.D. shows me how important of a reminder to not take those small things for granted. That folks is pretty much the “Nuts & Bolts” of “Foreign Object Damage.” Be careful and be safe.

(The usual disclaimers: I am not a journalist; This is a blog that expresses an outlook and is not conclusive in any shape or manner.)