Mitch Cronin Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 Please immediately stop throwing coffee grounds down the sink! Please tell ALL your colleagues to immediately stop throwing coffee grounds down the sink!All those "grey water" drain lines are small... they get clogged with crud fairly easily... almost every single plugged sink, whether in the lav or the galley*, is a result of coffee grounds.Many pack overheats on the Embraers, are a result of coffee grounds. (the designers made a seriously goofy error of placing the forward drain mast directly in-line with the #2 pack inlet, so the heat exchangers are getting plugged with coffee crud.)Just the other day , we had a triple seven down for several hours because half the drains in the aft section were plugged with coffee... they tell me that was extremely expensive... $ with many zeros per hour.... * The lav sink drains, galley sink drains, coffee maker pan drains, as well as several floor drains are frequently plumbed together at some point, still with rather small drain lines... it is not uncommon to find a lav sink snagged, while the galley sinks are still appearing to drain (sometimes because of the different levels and amount of plumbing), which has been caused by coffee grounds. If there is some reason (that I can't imagine?) you cannot use the garbage.... Vacuum toilet waste plumbing is much larger diameter than grey water plumbing (I'd guess perhaps four times as large). Coffee grounds, with water, would be far less likely to cause difficulties in that larger plumbing... Unlike much of the grey water plumbing, which often utilizes a rubberized, flexible fabric tubing known as Scat hose, lavatory waste lines are entirely metalic, so are less likely to trap small particles... Please, if you won't use the garbage, and if filling the waste tanks is not an issue, dump the grind -- NOT with the paper filter! Never put ANY paper in the toilet, other than small amounts of toilet tissue! -- in the toilet, add a full pot of water, and flush. Thankyou. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boestar Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 +1 and lots of zeros to that MitchOf course we have been saying it for years Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deicer Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 Please immediately stop throwing coffee grounds down the sink! Please tell ALL your colleagues to immediately stop throwing coffee grounds down the sink!All those "grey water" drain lines are small... they get clogged with crud fairly easily... almost every single plugged sink, whether in the lav or the galley*, is a result of coffee grounds.Many pack overheats on the Embraers, are a result of coffee grounds. (the designers made a seriously goofy error of placing the forward drain mast directly in-line with the #2 pack inlet, so the heat exchangers are getting plugged with coffee crud.)Just the other day , we had a triple seven down for several hours because half the drains in the aft section were plugged with coffee... they tell me that was extremely expensive... $ with many zeros per hour.... * The lav sink drains, galley sink drains, coffee maker pan drains, as well as several floor drains are frequently plumbed together at some point, still with rather small drain lines... it is not uncommon to find a lav sink snagged, while the galley sinks are still appearing to drain (sometimes because of the different levels and amount of plumbing), which has been caused by coffee grounds. If there is some reason (that I can't imagine?) you cannot use the garbage.... Vacuum toilet waste plumbing is much larger diameter than grey water plumbing (I'd guess perhaps four times as large). Coffee grounds, with water, would be far less likely to cause difficulties in that larger plumbing... Unlike much of the grey water plumbing, which often utilizes a rubberized, flexible fabric tubing known as Scat hose, lavatory waste lines are entirely metalic, so are less likely to trap small particles... Please, if you won't use the garbage, and if filling the waste tanks is not an issue, dump the grind -- NOT with the paper filter! Never put ANY paper in the toilet, other than small amounts of toilet tissue! -- in the toilet, add a full pot of water, and flush. Thankyou. On top of that, when they dump it on the gate, it travels a long way on the venturi effect under the fuselage. Being a veteran of wearing many a pot of coffee, all I can ask is that if you, as a flight attendant, are going to dump a pot of coffee down the sink, please be courteous enough to send down the cream and sugar after it.Iceman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boestar Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 I was told of an incident many years ago at a Major Canadian Airport. Could be urban legend but who knows.One of the methods used on some aircraft to clear the drains is to use low pressure nitrogen in the drainmast to force the clog back into the sink.A mechanic was called out to Korean (If I remember correctly) airlines flight on the gate. He was told that the sink was clogged and they needed it cleared. The mechanic told the flight attendant to stand clear and he went to his truck and pulled up to the drainmast. He put the nitrogen hose into the drainmast and turned on the pressure. After a brief pause the pressure released. He coiled the hose back up and went back upstairs.There he saw the flight attendant covered in coffee standing in a galley that looked like a bomb went off. His only words before he departed were "It's clear". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moon The Loon Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 I can't believe this is still a problem. This was identified many years ago on a variety of types. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverick Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 Being a veteran of wearing many a pot of coffee, IcemanMost engineers wear ONE pot of coffee, then we learn! Sorry, couldn't resist!For the record, this is one problem that spans all airlines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deicer Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 Most engineers wear ONE pot of coffee, then we learn! Sorry, couldn't resist!For the record, this is one problem that spans all airlines.Agreed, however, you guys don't spend as much time around the belly of the aircraft at departure time when they are in a panic and dump the coffee because they are about to push. Depending on the aircraft type, you used to get showered at the end of pushback disconnecting the towbar if the wind was blowing right.And yes, it is all airlines! I have worn many an imported brand...lol! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kip Powick Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 Why not, in ACs case, send a note to ACPA, who inturn could notify the pilots to notify the FAs during the "we're gonna go flying" briefing that dumping coffee and coffee grains is a no-no.Perhaps other airlines would like the same note..they could also do you a service by passing on the infoCan't hurt and it will be on record....again... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitch Cronin Posted February 11, 2010 Author Share Posted February 11, 2010 In the case I mentioned Kip, a half a cup full of the offending coffee grounds was saved for a manager who said he'd take pictures and write letters etc.... However, everyone who'd been around for any length of time had seen that same route taken several times in the past.... yet we continue to expend manpower and other resources on un-clogging drain lines.... Most often it's nothing more than an inconvenience to both passengers and flight attendants, as they're unable to use the sinks that won't drain... But, sometimes an aircraft is actually grounded for the sole purpose of clearing the drains. The message is NOT getting through. ....I thought a note here might just help.Pilots, PLEASE mention this to your flight attendants... Flight attendants, please STOP doing it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vsplat Posted February 11, 2010 Share Posted February 11, 2010 I agree it's an issue worth fixing and easily done. Kip, with respect, the laundry list of non-operational things that have been passed to the pilots to look after, follow up on, check and verify during or after departure needs to go on a bit of a weight loss program. The list of crew alerts, special bulletins, etc, etc doesn't really separate the service items from the gotchas, so eventually someone is going to miss something important in all of the noise. On the flip side, if I was an in-charge receiving a briefing from a pilot on how to dispose of waste in the cabin, I'd find the experience a bit patronizing. This is a cabin training and procedures issue, the fix needs to be applied there, ASAP. I'd rather see a placard than put this one on the flight deck todo list.FWIWVs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Specs Posted February 11, 2010 Share Posted February 11, 2010 Why not just post it on that portal forum - Creative Juices. Snr management monitor it and they're expected to respond to issues like this. Address it to Alan B and Dave L and throw a bit of humour in there, mention the delays and associated costs. I expect you;ll see some changes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitch Cronin Posted February 11, 2010 Author Share Posted February 11, 2010 I'm not at all familiar with that forum, but I can tell you senior management used to monitor this forum rather well... Don't know about Messr's B. and L., but some have made that known. ....maybe they still do? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thor Posted February 11, 2010 Share Posted February 11, 2010 And please don't throw ice cubes down the vacuum toilet. It's a messier fix. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moon The Loon Posted February 11, 2010 Share Posted February 11, 2010 And please don't throw ice cubes down the vacuum toilet. It's a messier fix.Waddabout if they're already melted??BWWWAAAAAHAHAHAHA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mo32a Posted February 11, 2010 Share Posted February 11, 2010 Maybe you could convince your company to purchase the self contained coffee packs, they look like big tea bags, that you find in hotel rooms etc. I know some restraunts use them as well. That way they don't go down the drain, and are easier and faster to use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pivot Posted February 11, 2010 Share Posted February 11, 2010 Maybe you could convince your company to purchase the self contained coffee packs, they look like big tea bags, that you find in hotel rooms etc. I know some restraunts use them as well. That way they don't go down the drain, and are easier and faster to use.But then it would taste like WestJet coffee. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.O. Posted February 11, 2010 Share Posted February 11, 2010 or Skyservice coffee ... We've been using those for a while and it cut down on the maintenance issues a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
conehead Posted February 12, 2010 Share Posted February 12, 2010 Those "pillow-packs" have been in use for years at Air Canada..... the coffee grounds still manage to find there way down the drains. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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