Planes fly again: rattlesnakes and other animals found on board

After being parked for a long time because of the pandemic, planes are flying again. But is everything the same as before? Not quite. Or rather, not right away it was. Insiders have had their hands full restoring the aircraft to their original state. This is well told by the story of the more than one hundred planes "put to rest" in the Mojave Desert, California, and stormed by rattlesnakes and other animals. Passing through, engineers could be seen banging on the wheels of Qantas' A380s to scare off the "unwanted guests."

When Covid forced the world to stop, planes were crammed into huge storage areas in the United States, Europe, and just outside Alice Springs, Australia. Many Qantas aircraft are in California, while the Asia Pacific Aircraft Storage, near Alice Springs, has become the temporary home for planes of Jetstar, Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines, Tigerair & co. As reported by the Guardian, therefore, engineers have to work hard against the wildlife. And they have to refurbish each aircraft.

Planes are flying again (but there is a lot of work to be done)

In early 2021, the European Aviation Safety Agency spoke of repeated reports of unreliable indications of speed and altitude in the first airplane flight after the extended layover. Several planes were unable to take off, and turned back due to the presence of foreign objects. Objects, these, that were predominantly Insect nests in equipment that measures air velocity.

More than with rust, in fact, engineers are fighting against insects, birds and various animals. Insects, in particular, can enter the air detection system. No small detriment, considering that those systems help the pilot know what altitude he is flying at and at what speed. The snakes, however, are concentrated more in the landing gear. Especially aircraft stored in the Mojave Desert have become home to the rattlesnakes, so much so that engineers have devised little tricks to get them out of hiding and running away.

Is there, therefore, cause for concern? The answer is no. The planes have been parked in arid areas, in which moisture does not exist. The openings were sealed, the various parts wrapped in plastic. The airlines regularly started aircraft engines throughout the "quarantine" period, and operated the wheels to prevent them from flattening. Planes stored at the airport, on the other hand, eliminated moisture with air conditioning systems. Engineers strictly followed maintenance manuals and adhered to the guidelines provided by the manufacturers.

Now what?

Now, what will happen? Technicians will check and update software, inspect openings, and perform operational checks on each aircraft system. They will transport aircraft from storage areas to airports and perform final checks there. Not only that, pilots will also have to undergo tests to assess their stress and fatigue levels, while runways will undergo extensive maintenance operations. Because planes will fly again, yes. But only when they can do so safely.

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