ICE AND RAIN PROTECTION

INSTRUCTOR: DAN BOWEN

 LONG TERM ENEMIES

• THE WEATHER HAS BEEN A LONG TERM ENEMY OF MANKIND, FROM THE VERY
BEGINNING OF OUR EXISTENCE WE HAVE HAD TO DEAL WITH INCLEMENT
WEATHER AND HOW TO SURVIVE IT.
• THE SAME IS TRUE IN AVIATION
• ICE IS A PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS OCCURRENCE THAT CAN BRING DOWN AN
AIRCRAFT, EVEN RESULTING IN FATALITIES NTSB-ICECAUSEDCRASH
 2 TYPES OF ICE
• THERE ARE 2 TYPES OF ICE THAT OCCUR ON AN AIRCRAFT IN FLIGHT
• RIME ICE
• CLEAR ICE
• SOMETIMES YOU CAN GET A COMBINATION OF BOTH
 EFFECTS OF ICE ON AN AIRCRAFT

• INCREASES DRAG, DECREASES LIFT.

• EFFECTS INSTRUMENT READINGS
• STRUCTURAL DAMAGE
• ENGINE DAMAGE
• REDUCES EFFECTIVENESS OF CONTROL SURFACES
• CAN REDUCE THEIR RANGE OF MOTION OR FREEZE THEM IN PLACE COMPLETELY
• CAUSES THEM TO BE UNBALANCED
 ICE PROTECTION REQUIRED

• THERE ARE PROTECTION SYSTEMS DESIGNED TO PROTECT CERTAIN AREAS OF

AN AIRCRAFT
• THERE ARE SEVERAL AREAS ON AN AIRCRAFT THAT REQUIRE PROTECTION
• WING AND STABILIZER LEADING EDGES
• ENGINE COWL LEADING EDGES
• PROPELLERS AND SPINNER COVERS
• AIR DATA PROBES (PITOT STATIC PORT FOR EXAMPLE)
• WINDOWS
• ANTENNAS
• WATER AND WASTE LINES AND DRAINS
 HOW DO WE PREVENT ICING?

• THERE ARE SEVERAL WAYS TO PREVENT ICE FORMATION ON MODERN AIRCRAFT

• HEAT A SURFACE WITH HOT AIR
• HEAT AN AREA WITH ELECTRICAL ELEMENTS
• INFLATABLE BOOTS THAT BREAK ICE OFF
• CHEMICAL APPLICATIONS
 THERMAL PNEUMATIC ANTI-ICING

• PREVENTS, OR REMOVES, ICE BUILDUP ON A WING OR STABILIZER LEADING

EDGE
• DUCTED LENGTHWISE IN EITHER A STABILIZER OR A WING
• THE HOT AIR SOURCES:
• TURBINE ENGINE BLEED AIR
• EXHAUST HEAT EXCHANGERS
• RAM AIR, HEATED BY A COMBUSTION HEATER
 THERMAL ELECTRIC ANTI-ICING
• ELECTRICITY IS USED TO HEAT VARIOUS COMPONENTS ON AN AIRCRAFT
• THESE ARE TYPICALLY SMALLER COMPONENTS, BECAUSE THE AMPERAGE DRAW
ON THEM IS SIGNIFICANT
• EXAMPLES OF AREAS USING THERMAL ELECTRIC ANTI-ICING ARE AS FOLLOWS;
PITOT TUBES, STATIC PORTS, WATER LINES, AND ENGINE SENSORS AND
THERMISTORS (SUCH AS USED IN WINDSHIELD DEICING).
• CURRENT FLOWS THROUGH A CONDUCTIVE ELEMENT, WHICH IN TURN
PRODUCES ENOUGH HEAT TO PREVENT ICING.
 CHEMICAL ANTI-ICING
• SOME AIRCRAFT USE A CHEMICAL SOLUTION SPRAY ON A SURFACE TO LOWER
THE FREEZING POINT OF ANY WATER THAT HAS COME IN CONTACT WITH THE
CHEMICAL SOLUTION
• THE SYSTEM TYPICALLY USED FOR THIS IS CALLED “WEEPING WING” OR “TKS”
• THE WING LEADING EDGE ON THIS TYPE OF AIRCRAFT HAS A MESH SCREEN THAT
ALLOWS AN ANTI-FREEZE SOLUTION TO FLOW OUT OVER THE SURFACES TO BE
PROTECTED
• ALTHOUGH TYPICALLY USE TO PREVENT ICING, IT CAN ALSO BE USED TO DE-ICE BY
CHEMICALLY BREAKING DOWN THE BOND OF THE ICE, ALLOWING IT TO FALL OFF OF
THE AIRCRAFT.
CHEMICAL ANTI-ICE
 PNEUMATIC DE-ICING
• SOME AIRCRAFT, TYPICALLY COMMUTERS AND OTHER GA AIRCRAFT, ARE EQUIPPED
WITH SYSTEMS TO REMOVE ICE THAT HAS ALREADY FORMED.
• THE DE-ICING BOOT IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THIS, IF ICE BUILDS UP ON THE LEADING
EDGE THE DE-ICING BOOT WILL FILL WITH AIR AND EXPAND, IN THE PROCESS IT WILL
BREAK THE ICE THAT FORMED ON IT, ALLOWING IT TO FALL OFF OF THE AIRCRAFT.
• THE DE-ICING BOOTS DO NOT INFLATE ALL AT ONCE, THEY DEFLATE ALTERNATELY TO
MINIMIZE DISRUPTION
 HOW DE-ICING BOOTS WORK

• A DE-ICING BOOT IS A PNEUMATIC DE-ICING DEVICE. THEY ARE MADE TO BREAK UP ICE
THAT FORMS ON THE LEADING EDGE OF A WING OR A STABILIZER.
• THEY WORK BY FILLING WITH AIR AND EXPANDING, WHICH FRACTURES THE ICE AND
MAKES IT EASY TO BLOW OFF OF THE WING AS THE AIRCRAFT MOVES FORWARD IN FLIGHT.
• THE AIR COMES FROM EITHER AN ENGINE DRIVEN AIR PUMP OR ENGINE BLEED AIR
• WHEN NOT IN USE A CONTINUOUS VACUUM KEEPS THE BOOT HELD TIGHTLY AGAINST THE
AIRCRAFT TO PREVENT DISTURBANCE OF AIRFLOW ACROSS THE WING SURFACE.
• INFLATION ALTERNATES TO PREVENT AIR FLOW
 SYSTEM OPERATION
• IN NON-ICING CONDITIONS THE SYSTEM REMAINS DE-ENERGIZED AND THE AIR
USED TO INFLATE THE BOOT IS PUMPED OVERBOARD (DICTATED BY THE DE-ICE
CONTROL VALVE AND THE DRY AIR PUMP) AND THE VACUUM REGULATOR
PROVIDES ENOUGH FLOW TO KEEP THE BOOT HELD TIGHTLY AGAINST THE
LEADING EDGE.
• WHEN THE DE-ICING SWITCH IS FLIPPED, THE DE-ICE VALVE WILL ROUTE THE AIR
THROUGH A CHECK VALVE AND INTO THE DE-ICING BOOT, RATHER THAN
DUMPING IT OVERBOARD. THIS CHANGE ALLOWS THE BOOTS TO BE INFLATED
AND BREAK UP THE ICE.
PNEUMATIC DE-ICING
 DE-ICING BOOT MAINTENANCE AND
INSPECTION
• YOU WILL OCCASIONALLY FIND THAT DE-ICING BOOTS WILL NEED REPAIR OR
REPLACEMENT, IF THIS IS NECESSARY MAKE SURE YOU ADHERE TO THE MANUFACTURERS
MAINTENANCE MANUALS FOR REPAIR GUIDELINES.
• YOU CAN THINK OF A DE-ICING BOOT AS A BALLOON, THEY CAN BECOME PUNCTURED OR
WORN OUT. IT IS IMPORTANT DURING YOUR PRE-FLIGHT INSPECTION TO INSPECT THEM
FOR POSSIBLE DAMAGES
• CUTS
• TEARS OR HEAVY WEAR
• PUNCTURES
• SECURITY
 COMPONENTS

• WET-TYPE ENGINE DRIVEN PUMP: USED MOSTLY IN OLDER AIRCRAFT THIS TYPE OF PUMP IS
MOUNTED ON THE ACCESSORY GEAR CASE AND IS CONSIDERED A POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT
PUMP. THEY HAVE BETTER LIFE EXPECTANCY BECAUSE OF THE ENGINE OIL LUBRICATING
THEIR PARTS BUT THEY HAVE A DRAWBACK BECAUSE SOMETIMES OIL GETS MIXED IN WITH
THE AIR AND IS SPREAD THROUGHT THE SYSTEM.
• DRY-TYPE ENGINE DRIVEN PUMP: IS ALSO AN ENGINE DRIVEN PUMP AND MOUNTED ON THE
ACCESSORY GEAR BOX, HOWEVER INSTEAD OF ENGINE OIL LUBRICATING THEIR PARTS THEY
ARE MADE WITH CARBON VANES AND BEARINGS WHICH WEAR AT A CONTROLLED RATE. IT
HAS A SHORTER LIFE AND WILL REQUIRE REPPLACEMENT FASTER THAN THE WET TYPE, BUT
YOU WILL HAVE NO WORRIES ABOUT OIL ENTERING YOUR SYSTEM.
 COMPONENTS

• OIL SEPARATOR: THE SEPARATORS ARE REQUIRED ON ALL AIRCRAFT THAT USE
A WET TYPE PUMP. AIR LEAVING THE WET TYPE PUMP GOES THROUGH THE PUMP,
THE PUMP IS DESIGNED USING A CONVOLUTED INTERIOR WHICH WILL ONLY
ALLOW AIR TO PASS, THE OIL REMOVED FROM THE SYSTEM WILL BE ROUTED
BACK INTO THE ENGINE.
• CONTROL VALVE: THIS DEVICE ALLOWS AIR TO EITHER ENTER THE DE-ICE
SYSTEM OR VENT IT OVERBOARD. WHEN THE SWITCH IS SET TO OFF THE PUMP
DUMPS THE AIR OVERBOARD, HOWEVER WHEN THE SWITCH IS MOVED TO ON
THE VALVE IS OPENED IT WILL ALLOW AIR TO ENTER DE-ICING SYSTEM.
 COMPONENTS

• DEFLATE VALVE: AS THE NAME SUGGESTS THE DEFLATE VALVE EXISTS IN BOOT SYSTEMS TO
DEFLATE THE BOOT. IT USES THE AIR PUMPS TO CREATE A VACUUM TO PULL THE DE-ICING
BOOT BACK TO THE LEADING EDGE.
• TIME CONTROL UNIT: MOST DE-ICE BOOTS USE A TIME CONTROL UNIT TO ENSURE THAT THE
BOOT IS ONLY INFLATED FOR A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME. ONCE THAT TIME IS UP THE
DEFLATE VALVE WILL BE ACTIVATED.
• REGULATORS/RELIEF VALVES: THESE EXIST IN THE SYSTEM TO PREVENT THE AIR IN THE
BOOT DOES NOT EXCEED A CERTAIN AMOUNT, AS TO MUCH PRESSURE WILL CAUSE DAMAGE TO
THE BOOT. THEY ARE TYPICALLY SPRING LOADED AND ONCE THE PRESSURE GETS TO HIGH IT
WILL DUMP EXCESS PRESSURE OVERBOARD.
 COMPONENTS

• INLET FILTER: CLEAN AIR IS REQUIRED TO RUN NOT ONLY THE DE-ICING
SYSTEMS, BUT OTHER SYSTEMS AS WELL. GYROS AND OTHER SENSITIVE
EQUIPMENT CAN BE DAMAGED BY PARTICLES. THE INLET FILTER IS POSITIONED
ON THE SUCTION SIDE OF THE ENGINE DRIVEN AIR PIMP, TO FILTER THESE
PARTICLES OUT OF THE SYSTEM WHERE THE AIR IS FIRST DRAWN INTO THE
SYSTEM.
 DE-ICING BOOT CONSTRUCTION

• TYPICALLY COMPOSED OF A SOFT PLIABLE RUBBER OR A RUBBERIZED FABRIC

WITH TUBULAR CELLS THAT CAN BE INFLATED.
• THE OUTER PLY IS CONDUCTIVE NEOPRENE TO HELP PREVENT DETERIORATION
FROM ELEMENTS OR CHEMICALS AND TO DISIPATE ELECTRICAL DISCHARGES.
• THEY ARE BONDED TO THE WING WITH ADHESIVE AND THEIR TRAILING EDGES
ARE TAPPERED TO HELP REDUCE DISRUPTION OF AIR FLOW.
DE-ICING BOOT REPLACEMENT
 PROPELLER DE-ICING
• ICE BUILD UP ON THE PROPELLER CAN SERIOUSLY REDUCE THE EFFICIENCY OF
YOUR POWERPLANT SYSTEM, THIS CAN RESULT IN LESS POWER BEING
AVAILABLE WHEN THE PILOT NEEDS IT AND IT CAN CAUSE EXCESSIVE FUEL USE.
• THERE ARE A FEW METHODS USED TO DE-ICE A PROPELLER
• ELECTROTHERMAL DE-ICE SYSTEMS
• CHEMICAL DE-ICE SYSTEMS
 ELECTROTHERMAL PROPELLER DE-ICING

• THIS TYPE OF PROPELLER DE-ICING IS TYPICALLY ACCOMPLISHED BY THE USE

OF A BOOT, WRAPPED AROUND THE BLADE OF THE PROPELLER.
• THE BOOT HAS ELECTRONIC ELEMENTS INSIDE OF IT, ALLOWING IT TO HEAT UP
AND MELT THE ICE OFF OF THE PROPELLER WHEN POWER IS APPLIED TO THE
BOOT.
 CHEMICAL PROPELLER DE-ICING
• SEVERAL SMALLER GA AIRCRAFT USE A CHEMICAL DE-ICING SYSTEM FOR THEIR
PROPELLERS
• AS ICE FORMS ON THE PROPELLER A GLYCOL BASED FLUID IS SPRAYED ONTO
THE PROPELLER, VERY SIMILAR TO THE “WEEPING WING”/ “TKS” SYSTEMS ON
THE WINGS
PROPELLER DE-ICING
 GROUND DE-ICING
• WHEN AN AIRCRAFT SITS OUT ON THE RAMP, IT CAN ACCUMULATE FROST, SNOW,
OR ICE DEPENDING ON WEATHER CONDITIONS.
• ACCORDING TO FAA AC 120-60 THE AIRCRAFT MUST BE FREE OF ALL FROZEN
CONTAMINANTS ON CRITICAL FLIGHT SURFACES AND ENGINE COMPONENTS.
• FAA AC 120-60 MEANS THAT MAINTENANCE WILL OFTEN HAVE THE
RESPONSIBILITY TO “DE-ICE” THE AIRCRAFT BEFORE IT IS SAFE TO FLY IT.
 GROUND FROST REMOVAL
• FROST CAN EITHER BE REMOVED BY PLACING THE AIRCRAFT IN A WARM
HANGAR (TIME PERMITTING), USING A FROST REMOVER, OR BY USING A DE-
ICING FLUID.
• DE-ICING FLUID IS TYPICALLY A MIXTURE OF ETHYLENE GLYCOL AND
ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL AND IS TYPICALLY APPLIED AN HOUR OR 2 PRIOR TO
FLIGHT.
 GROUND SNOW AND ICE REMOVAL
• WET SNOW SHOULD BE REMOVED WITH A SOFT BRUSH OR SQUEEGEE
• DRY SNOW CAN BE BLOWN OFF WITH AIR (HOT AIR IS NOT RECOMMENDED, IT WILL TURN
THE SNOW TO WATER, WHICH WILL RE-FREEZE).
• NEVER ATTEMPT TO BREAK OFF ICE BY FORCE, THIS CAN RESULT TO DAMAGE TO THE
AIRCRAFT.
• ICE AND LIGHT SNOW CAN BE REMOVED WITH A DE-ICING FLUID
• FINALLY A PREFLIGHT INSPECTION SHOULD BE CONDUCTED TO INSURE FLIGHT CONTROLS
PROPERLY MOVE AND THAT THERE IS NO ICE OR SNOW BUILD UP NEAR ENGINE INLETS OR ON
CRITICAL FLIGHT COMPONENTS
GROUND ICE REMOVAL
 RAIN CONTROL
• RAIN CAN BECOME A PROBLEM FOR A PILOT, WHEN IT COMES TO VISUALLY
MONITORING WHAT IS HAPPENING AROUND THE AIRCRAFT.
• ITS ABILITY TO IMPAIR THE PILOT CAN BE REDUCED BY A COMBINATION OF THE
FOLLOWING ITEMS
• WINDSHIELD WIPERS
• CHEMICAL RAIN REPELLANT
• PNEUMATIC RAIN REPELLANT
• HYDROPHOBIC COATING
 CHEMICAL RAIN REPELLANT

• THE CHEMICAL RAIN REPELLANT IS APPLIED DURING EXTREMELY WET

CONDITIONS, IT CREATES A THIN FILM ON THE WINDSHIELD THAT ALLOWS
WATER TO EASILY FLOW ACROSS IT AND OUT OF THE WAY OF THE PILOT
• TYPICALLY APPLIED VIA A SPRAY NOZZLE, IT IS METERED OUT IN VERY SPECIFIC
AMOUNTS AS TO NOT MAKE THE FILM THICK ENOUGH TO IMPAIR THE PILOTS
VISION.
 HYDROPHOBIC SURFACE COATING

• THE SURFACE COATING IS A THIN COAT OF SURFACE SEAL THAT CAUSES WATER
TO BEAD AND ROLL OFF RATHER THAN TO JUST POOL UP ON THE WINDOW
• THEY ARE TYPICALLY A LIQUID TREATMENT THAT IS RUBBED ONTO THE
SURFACE OF A WINDSHIELD TO PROVIDE THE DESIRED EFFECT.
• MUST BE PERIODICALLY RE-APPLIED
 PNEUMATIC RAIN REMOVAL

• THE PNEUMATIC RAIN REMOVAL SYSTEM SERVES MORE THAN ONE PURPOSE
• IT BLOWS HEATED AIR ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD, BASICALLY MAKING A
BARRIER THAT WILL PREVENT THE RAIN FROM MAKING IT TO THE WINDSHIELD.
• BEING THAT THE AIR IS HEATED, IT ALSO HELPS TO PREVENT FREEZING OR
FOGGING IN THE WINDOWS
• THIS CAN ALSO HELP PREVENT FOGGING
RAIN REMOVAL
 FOG AND FROST PREVENTION

• THE WINDSHIELD CAN BE PROTECTED FROM FROST AND ICE 3 WAYS

• PNEUMATIC – HEATED AIR IS BLOWN ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD, MELTING ANY ICE
AND PREVENTING FOGGING
• ELECTRIC – WINDSHIELDS SOMETIMES HAVE ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS IMBEDDED
IN THEM, ALLOWING THEM TO HEAT UP WHEN POWER IS APPLIED, THUS BRINGING
THE TEMPERATURE OF THE WINDOW TO A HIGH ENOUGH TEMPERATURE TO PREVENT
THE FREEZING OF WATER AND ALSO PREVENTING FOGGING.
• CHEMICAL – THIS CAN BE ANOTHER EXTENSION OF THE “TKS” SYSTEM, OR IT CAN BE
AN INDIVIDUAL NOZZLE THAT SPRAYS A LIQUID ON THE WINDSHIELD THAT PREVENTS
THE FORMATION OF ICE.
 WATER AND WASTE TANK ICE PREVENTION
• LARGER AIRCRAFT HAVE WATER AND WASTE SYSTEMS ON BOARD, WHICH ARE EXPOSED TO FREEZING.
• TYPICALLY ELECTRICAL HEATING SYSTEMS ARE USED TO KEEP THEM WARM ENOUGH TO PREVENT
FREEZING
• THERE ARE TYPICALLY TEMPERATURE SENSING UNITS INSTALLED IN THE LINES AND TANKS TO HELP
THE SYSTEM MONITOR WHEN ADDITIONAL HEAT IS REQUIRED. WHEN THE TEMPERATURES FALL
BELOW FREEZING THE HEATERS WILL TURN ON AND STAY ON UNTIL THE TEMPERATURE SENSORS
REPORT ACCEPTABLE TEMPERATURES.