Icing on the Plane

 

There are several environmental factors that affect aircrafts, including altitude, humidity, and temperature, to name a few. In my blog post, I will be focusing on a specific element of temperature, which is icing. Icing has many perilous effects on aircraft if the necessary precautions are used. Icing takes place on almost any and all surfaces of an aircraft, and sometimes even inside aircraft systems. Some of the main places icing occurs is on the leading edge and on top of wings, as well as propellers. Icing changes the airfoil of the aircraft, while also adding mass, which can have effects on the weight and balance of the aircraft and flight capabilities. Additionally, ice can fall off the aircraft, resulting in it becoming FOD, thus leading to further damage wherever it may impact. Icing on the propeller can cause severe vibrations which may lead to damage of the engine and even engine failure. There are several ways the aviation industry combats icing. Some of the main known methods commonly used are thermal pneumatic, thermal electric, and chemical anti-icing. The thermal pneumatic method utilizes heated air from the engine to prevent formation of ice, as well as to de-ice. Thermal electric is typically used for smaller components, using electricity for heat. Chemical anti-icing is used to anti-ice the leading edges of the wing, windshields, and propellers. The chemical solution is pumped from a reservoir to change the freezing point of the aircraft’s surfaces (Cooper, et al., 2014). While icing is a common environmental factor that is potentially harmful to aircrafts, there are currently many proven methods that mitigate these issues which allow for safe flying.

 

Cooper, W. A., Sand, W. R., Politovich, M. K., & Veal, D. L. (2014). Effects of icing on performance of a research airplane. Journal of Aircraft, 21(9), 708–715. https://doi.org/10.2514/3.45018