Gravelkit is a term for a modification which is used on some airplanes to avoid foreign object damage

Foreign object damage

Foreign Object Debris is a substance, debris or article alien to a vehicle or system which would potentially cause damage.Foreign Object Damage is any damage attributed to a foreign object that can be expressed in physical or economic terms that may or may not degrade the product's required...

 (FOD), while operating on unpaved surfaces. Modification generally includes a method of preventing the nose gear spraying FOD into the engine, and a method of preventing the engine from sucking up FOD from the ground directly in front of it.

Example of planes that can be fitted with this upgrade is the Boeing 737-200, which includes a gravel deflector (similar in appearance to a ski) mounted to the nose wheel, and vortex dissipators using compressor bleed air on each engine. This modification was used by Alaska Airlines

Alaska Airlines

Alaska Airlines is an airline based in the Seattle suburb of SeaTac, Washington in the United States. The airline originated in 1932 as McGee Airways. After many mergers with and acquisitions of other airlines, including Star Air Service, it became known as Alaska Airlines in 1944...

 for many years, and is still employed by Canadian North

Canadian North

Canadian North Inc. is an airline based in the Northwest Tower in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada. It operates scheduled passenger services to major communities in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. Southern gateways include Edmonton and Ottawa...

, Air North

Air North

Air North Charter and Training Ltd., operating as Air North, Yukon's Airline is a Canadian airline based in Whitehorse, Yukon. It operates scheduled passenger, charter, cargo and ground handling services throughout the Yukon, with flights to the Northwest Territories, Alaska, British Columbia, and...

, and First Air

First Air

Bradley Air Services Limited, operating as First Air, is an airline headquartered in Kanata, Ontario, Canada. It operates services to 30 communities in Nunavut, Nunavik, and the Northwest Territories. The majority of its fleet is available for charters worldwide...

in northern Canada.

External links

• About the gravel kit on Boeing 737-200