Provide a safe, sanitary operating environment for crew and ground staff.
Considerations
- Frequency of cleaning of the flight deck should account for the separation of the flight deck from the passenger compartment as well as for the frequency of crew transitions.
- The flight deck should be cleaned and disinfected at an appropriate frequency to accommodate safe operations for the crew.
- Aircraft manufacturers recommend:
- the use of a 70% aqueous solution of Isopropyl Alcohol (IPA) as a disinfectant for the flight deck touch surfaces with specific care to be taken for application on leather and other porous surfaces;
- periodic equipment inspection to detect long-term effects or damage given the lack of data on the long term effects of much more frequent application of disinfectants; and to contacting them for guidance on alternate disinfectants should damage be observed;
- considering enhanced inspection intervals or maintenance when employing aggressive or new disinfection techniques.
- following their instructions for ensuring proper application, ventilation and use of personal protection equipment; and
- consulting them for more detailed recommendations or additional disinfecting chemicals noting the discrepancy in approvals for disinfection products in different States and in their availability.
Surfaces should be cleaned of dirt and debris per instructions from the aircraft.
- Application to surfaces should be with pre-moistened wipes or single use wetted cloth and use limited bottle sizes on board to minimize the risk of spilling the IPA solution. Do not spray IPA in the flight deck. Do not allow the liquid to pool or drip into the equipment.
- IPA is flammable, so precautions should be taken around potential sources of ignition.
- The operator should consider whether increased cleaning and disinfection may affect compliance with any applicable disinsection requirements established in accordance with ICAO Annex 9. Additional information can be obtained from the appropriate authority and technical guidance is available on the WHO publication on aircraft disinsection methods and procedures.
- UV irradiation does not replace normal manual cleaning procedures but could be used to supplement existing disinfection procedures. Where used, several important factors should be considered, including that UV disinfection is only effective if the virus is exposed to the UV light. Materials that are exposed to UV light may be damaged or discoloured. The Airframe OEM should be consulted to ensure that the device intended for use is compatible with aircraft materials.
Given the increased likelihood that switch positions may be inadvertently changed during the cleaning or disinfection process, operators and flight crew should reinforce procedures to verify that all flight deck switches and controls are in the correct position prior to operation of the airplane.
Some equipment on the flight deck may have additional disinfectant needs based on usage (e.g., oxygen masks) and procedures should be put in place accordingly.
Means for uniform implementation
- OEM communication through ICCAIA and OEM communication with operators.
- Use the Aircraft COVID-19 Disinfection Control Sheet (PHC Form 2) or a similar one when appropriate.
