Blue juice and vacuum lavs
 

My question is, will blue juice destroy vacuum lavs? Some pilots say it will destroy the lav, others say to rinse with 2 gallons, and others want two gallons in.

Whats the good word? As vacuum lavs are becoming more common, I figured I should get this cleared up.

Not a lav technician, so this is just opinion...

1. Lavs are designed to be robust, no telling what gets dumped down there, so I seriously doubt blue juice will destroy a vac lav. I assume the mx manuals have some rinse out procedure. You would just be making a better smelling (matter of opinion) lav with 2 gallons of the tank filled before departure.

2. I've been flying for 3 decades. I don't micro manage the lavs. Either they work or I call MX out. I ask the lead FA if there is anything they need me to get them before we are ready to push back. I leave it up to them to tell me to call the cleaning crew and have the lavs dumped. The lav status is not displayed up front, just on the FA panel near the 1L door.

Aviate, navigate, communicate.

ooops. Nevermind

Thats it, eh? Must be nice.

... and defecate! (since lavs are involved)

I hereby declare this February Post Of The Month!!

Blue juice will not harm a vacuum lav. In fact, they were designed to use it.

Thanks for all the info.:) I will keep doing as the pilots ask.

Just dont put dry ice in the lav, not something you want to clean up afterwords.

I second that!

Sorry if my grumpy old man came out. I spent a few years as a chief pilot and had to deal with pilots getting their noses into such extra curricular activities. I had a VP of customer service demanding the head of one CA on a silver platter over constant meddling. Took up my time and the MEC chair's time getting him to do his job and not everyone else's.

Technical knowledge = good.

Telling rampers, customer service and especially mechanics how to do their job is a sure sign you are not paying enough attention to your own job. If I were a ramper and got the 411 from a CA over exactly how to service a lav I would certainly ask him/her for a personal demo, just so I did it to their satisfaction next time.

I will take a chill pill, but leave this as food for thought. :)