Here’s a collection of answers to questions we’re commonly asked. If you have a question that hasn’t already been answered, contact us and we’ll be able to get you the answer you’re looking for.
FOD is an acronym used for Foreign Object Debris. FOD is defined as anything that is present in an area of an airport or inside a section of an aircraft that shouldn’t be there. Examples include nuts, bolts, washers, rivets, and other metal components from aircraft, airport equipment, and luggage. Sand, gravel, stones, and fragments of pavement also fall under the FOD definition. This debris causes an estimated US$12 billion in damage every year.
FOD is considered a major safety issue for the aviation industry. Small objects and debris have the potential to seriously damage aircraft or their jet engines, leading to expensive repairs. In some instances, FOD damage has been known to destroy the aircraft or engine requiring complete replacement. For the civil aviation industry, a FOD event may also cause flight delays, and passenger travel disruption that costs airlines and airports hundreds of millions of dollars every year. Unfortunately, foreign object debris can also cause serious injury to the personnel often found working around aircraft. It is important to note that FOD can often be invisible to the naked eye and FOD removal systems need to be relied upon for effective capture and retention of any FOD collected.