What is the ingestion zone for American Airlines mainline aircraft?

The ingestion zone for American Airlines mainline aircraft is defined as the area surrounding the engines where foreign objects can be sucked into the engine intake. Recognizing the ingestion zone is crucial for safety considerations, particularly in a busy airport environment where ground personnel may be working near active aircraft.

The correct answer specifies 15 feet as the ingestion zone. This distance is established to ensure that all personnel are aware of where they should maintain a safe distance from the engines when they are running, particularly during taxi, takeoff, and landing phases, to prevent injury from engine intake.

Other distances, such as 10 feet, 20 feet, and 25 feet, do not accurately represent the defined safe operating distance for ingestion risks associated with mainline aircraft engines. Adhering to the 15 feet standard helps to mitigate the risk of foreign object ingestion, thus enhancing ground safety procedures around aircraft operations.