A pilot reported that his air carrier is installing a cockpit carpet under the rudder pedals which d...

Narrative:

Aircraft maintenance has recently removed the standard carpet from the cockpit floor of my air carriers's aircraft. The removal of the carpet is not an issue in it self. I have strong concerns about the carpet being replaced with nonskid material under the area of travel of the flight controls (rudder pedals). All aircraft; transport category and general aviation are required to have a smooth surface under the rudder flight controls for freedom of movement. All pilots have experienced that during an engine out situation the ability of a pilot's heel to be able to move freely along the floor is paramount in controlling the aircraft. In a single engine scenario each power change requires a rudder pedal input. The ability to move ones heel freely over the nonskid material currently installed in my air carriers's aircraft is compromised and could be a safety hazard.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A pilot reported that his air carrier is installing a cockpit carpet under the rudder pedals which degrades the free rudder pedal movement required by the FAR's.

Narrative: Aircraft maintenance has recently removed the standard carpet from the cockpit floor of my air carriers's aircraft. The removal of the carpet is not an issue in it self. I have strong concerns about the carpet being replaced with nonskid material under the area of travel of the flight controls (rudder pedals). All aircraft; transport category and general aviation are required to have a smooth surface under the rudder flight controls for freedom of movement. All pilots have experienced that during an engine out situation the ability of a pilot's heel to be able to move freely along the floor is paramount in controlling the aircraft. In a single engine scenario each power change requires a rudder pedal input. The ability to move ones heel freely over the nonskid material currently installed in my air carriers's aircraft is compromised and could be a safety hazard.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.

Attributes
ACN	844801
Time
Date	200907
Local Time Of Day	1801-2400
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Parked
Component
Aircraft Component	Cockpit Furnishing
Person 1
Function	Captain Pilot Flying
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 120 Flight Crew Total 9000 Flight Crew Type 2000
Events
Anomaly	Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy

A pilot reported that his air carrier is installing a cockpit carpet under the rudder pedals which degrades the free rudder pedal movement required by the far's.