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Icing for General Aviation Pilots Date: 1 Jan 06

Important facts about icing Rev: Orig

 An iced wing will always stall at a lower Angle of Attack (AOA) and higher Airspeeds
 Ask two questions when dealing with icing:
o Where is the ice?
o Where is it safe?
 Icing conditions exists when:
o Visible moisture (Clouds or Precipitation)
o Temperatures are in the freezing range (+2°C to -20°C)
 Icing conditions do not exists when:
o Outside of clouds
o No freezing precipitation
o Temperature outside of freezing range
 Important factors to know over the entire route when icing conditions present
o Ceilings
o Cloud Tops
o Freezing Levels
o PIREPS
o Frontal Activity
o As well as AIRMET and SIGMET
 A pilot cannot fly into forecast icing, not just known icing
 Different kinds of aircraft accumulate ice differently
 Aircraft are certified for flight into known icing within a specific envelope
 Check De-icing or Anti-icing equipment on the ground when icing may be present during the flight
 Keep a watchful eye on the Outside Air Temperature (OAT) gauge
 When flying and need to change altitude or course due to icing use “IMMEDIATE” to help the
controller understand the situation
 Also tell them you can accept changes in heading to help the immediate change in altitude
 Try to get out of icing as soon as possible in aircraft without any icing equipment
 There are Five (5) outs to help you safely get around flying in icing
o Climb → Get to colder temperatures where icing may not be present
 Be aware that cloud tops can hold some of the most hazardous icing conditions
o Descent → Get below clouds where icing may occur or get into warmer temperatures
 Be aware that the lower you go can decrease your distance above the ground
o Continue → If in the process of exiting icing conditions
o Divert → circum navigate the icing conditions
o If all else fails DECLARE AN EMERGENCY
 It will increase your options that ATC can help you or that you can do
 GET OUT OF FREEZING RAIN AND FREEZING DRIZZLE IMMEDIATELY
o No aircraft can handle a moderate amount of accumulation due to freezing precipitation
 If you are in icing and ATC cannot get you out of it quick enough DECLARE AND EMERGENCY
 Make PIREPS (Pilot Reports) to help ATC know and other pilots of the conditions at that time
o There is a small problem with icing reports, they are subjective due to the experience of the
pilot and the type of aircraft
 Don’t be afraid to ask ATC for PIREPS
 Report the absence of icing when forecasted
 There are Three (3) kinds of icing
For reference only, does not replace any government approved publication. Page 1 of 3
Icing for General Aviation Pilots Date: 1 Jan 06
Important facts about icing Rev: Orig

o Rime → has a milky look (like that of a freezer that needs defrosting)
 Conforms to the airfoil
 Accumulates in a pointed shape
o Clear → transparent look
 Rough accumulation
 Forms horns which dramatically increase drag
o Mixed → clear in the center with white on the sides
 Could have any of the above mentions qualities
 There are Three (3) amounts of accumulation
o Light → ¼ inch accumulation within 15 – 60 minutes
 occasional use of icing equipment
o Moderate → ¼ inch accumulation within 5 – 15 minutes
 Frequent use of icing equipment
o Severe → greater than ¼ inch accumulation within 5 – 15 minutes
 Exit immediately, no aircraft is certified for flight in severe icing
 Give PIREPS
 Interpolate PIREPS
o If a B737 is climbing to altitude and incurs light icing a C182 may incur severe icing due to
duration within the icing altitude
o Each aircraft will accumulate icing differently due to design and icing equipment
 At the first sign of icing turn on all icing protection
o Window Heat
o Prop Deice
o Fluid Surface De-icer
o Pneumatic Boots
o Pitot Heat (if not already on)
 Keep wings clean
 Ice bridging only affected early boots when times for inflation and deflation were increased
 Previous pilots were told to wait until at least a ¼ inch was on the wing, no longer required
 With modern boots there has never been a case when ice bridging has cause and accident
 Struts, OAT gauge probes, and other similar size items pick up ice before wings including tail
surfaces
 Test conducted by NASA on several modern airfoils demonstrated that, in some instances, exposure
to clear icing for 2 minutes could double the drag, reduce the maximum lift by 25-30% and reduce
the critical angle of attack by 8 degrees (which would correspond to a substantially higher stall speed)
 NASA saw a 30% increase in drag on the aircraft due to accumulations in areas without icing
protection
 When on top of the clouds and you see a rainbow that means that there is liquid water in the clouds
 If possible hand fly the aircraft through all possible icing conditions
 Hand fly all approaches in icing conditions
 Symptoms of a wing stall due to icing
o Airframe Buffet
o Sluggish or Ineffective Roll Control
o Don’t rely on the stall warning horn it may have frozen over due to icing accumulations
 Recovery from a wing stall

For reference only, does not replace any government approved publication. Page 2 of 3
Icing for General Aviation Pilots Date: 1 Jan 06
Important facts about icing Rev: Orig

o Reduce AOA
o Increase Power
o Same as clean wing stall
 If ice is on the wind it is probably on the tail
 If increase thrust will induce a nose down pitch it could aggravate a tail stall
 Symptoms of a tail stall due to icing
o Lightening of the yoke especially in the forward direction
o Difficulty trimming the pitch
o Pitch excursions similar to pilot induced oscillations
o Buffet in the yoke only not the airframe
 Recovery from a tail stall
o Pull back on yoke
o Raise flaps
o Consider reducing power
 Wing Stall verses Tail Stall
o Wing stall
 High wing AOA
 Slow airspeed
o Tail Stall
 High tail AOA
 Flaps down
 Higher airspeed
 If a an unanticipated movement occurs UNDO WHAT YOU JUST DID
 If you know you are going to have to descent into icing conditions and the aircraft may not handle it
well stay on top as long as possible
 Keep your speed up!
 If snowing water is already frozen and ice crystals will bounce off of the aircraft
 Cycle boots (if installed) at the Final Approach Fix (FAF) to get the best performance out of the
aircraft
 Keep your speed up (stall speed can increase up to 30 knots with icing!)
 Ice that has little effect at cruise can have a major effect at slower airspeeds
 When shooting and instrument approach in icing conditions:
o Increase speed
o Consider reduced flaps
o Minimize bank angles due to possible increase stall speed
o Consider delaying gear extension until runway is made

For reference only, does not replace any government approved publication. Page 3 of 3

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