Icing for General Aviation Pilots

Summary

Highlights

• A pilot encountered severe icing and declared an emergency, narrowly avoiding disaster ✈️.
• Ice can accumulate rapidly, necessitating changes in flight plans and immediate decision-making 🌨️.
• Having contingency plans and safety outs can make the difference between a safe landing and a tragic outcome 🛬.
• Communication with ATC is critical; pilots must be assertive about icing concerns even if that means declaring an emergency 📡.
• Icing affects aircraft performance severely - it increases drag and reduces lift, demanding immediate pilot awareness and action ⬇️.
• Even well-prepared pilots in ice-equipped aircraft must remain vigilant and adaptable to changing conditions ⚠️.

Key Takeaways

• Always respect the power of ice on aircraft; it can be unexpectedly hazardous ❄️.
• Understand your aircraft's capabilities and have several contingency plans in place before flight 🚁.
• Awareness of weather conditions and freezing levels is crucial to avoid and manage icing 🎯.
• Pilots should prioritize safety by proactively looking for exits (climb, descend, divert) when icing occurs 🚪.
• Effective communication with ATC can make a significant difference in handling adverse icing situations 📞.
• Ensure all ice protection systems are functional and used at the first sign of ice accumulation ⚙️.

Overview

Chapters

• 00:00 - 03:00: Introduction and Initial Encounter with Icing The chapter begins with an introductory segment, setting the stage for the narrative to follow. The initial encounter with icing is introduced, possibly forming a thematic element for the chapter. The use of music suggests a dramatic or significant mood, enhancing the storytelling or presentation of the event.
• 03:00 - 05:00: Flight Changes and Emergency Declaration In this chapter, the characters face an in-flight emergency as they lose airspeed due to ice accumulation. Initially, they consider returning but decide against it due to crosswinds and a significant drop in temperature, which exacerbates the ice issue. Despite full throttle, their speed drops considerably. Realizing they cannot make it to their original destination, Troy, they decide to divert to an airport equipped with an Instrument Landing System (ILS).
• 05:00 - 10:00: Consequences of Icing and Pre-flight Planning The chapter discusses a flight where the crew needs to change their destination to Pontiac due to ice accumulation and the inability to climb as instructed. Despite being directed to climb to 3,500 feet by Detroit approach, the aircraft is unable to comply due to excessive ice. The crew reports their difficulty in climbing and maintaining altitude due to the ice, highlighting the significance of pre-flight planning in assessing weather conditions and the potential consequences of icing on flight operations.
• 10:00 - 20:00: In-flight Icing Management and PIREP Importance In "In-flight Icing Management and PIREP Importance," the chapter discusses a real-flight scenario where an aircraft is unable to ascend due to ice accumulation. The communication between the pilot and air traffic control highlights the immediate response needed to manage the icing issue. The pilot reports picking up ice and ATC acknowledges the situation, providing vectors for an Instrument Landing System (ILS) approach at Pontiac airport to ensure a safe landing. The example illustrates the critical nature of PIREPs (Pilot Reports) in conveying real-time weather challenges to ensure flight safety.
• 20:00 - 30:00: Technical Aspects of Icing and Safety Measures In this chapter, the technical aspects of icing and the necessary safety measures are discussed through an example of a possible emergency scenario. The conversation indicates a severe situation due to icing that affects the aircraft's ability to maintain altitude. The pilots communicate with Pontiac Tower, indicating a potential emergency and requesting a standby truck for safety. An emergency declaration is made due to the severity of icing, and an adjustment in the flight approach is needed as they cannot make the original ILS approach. The chapter emphasizes the importance of adjusting to technical challenges posed by icing and the coordination required with air traffic control for safety.
• 30:00 - 40:00: Approach and Landing Considerations in Icing This chapter discusses the important considerations and procedures that should be taken into account when approaching and landing in icing conditions. It is illustrated with a real-life example of a flight involving an instructor and a student. They took off from Cleveland bound for Detroit but encountered several issues due to mistakes made during the flight. The storyline emphasizes the significance of proper flight planning and awareness of weather conditions, especially icing, to ensure safety.
• 40:00 - 45:00: Lessons Learned and Conclusion This chapter emphasizes the dangerous and unpredictable nature of ice encounters for pilots. It highlights that each icing situation is unique and can vary greatly, even among different aircraft. The text serves as a caution to pilots about how each mistake can limit recovery options and underscores the importance of understanding the risks associated with ice. It calls ice one of the most insidious adversaries for pilots, warning that every encounter could potentially be life-threatening.

Icing for General Aviation Pilots Transcription

• 00:00 - 00:30 [Music] back you [Music]
• 00:30 - 01:00 Brian look looks like we're losing more air speed I wish we had turned back yeah I know since AC cross wind the temperature fell and we started really picking up a lot more ice look I'm at Full Throttle we're only 110 knots we've already lost 45 knots are we going to make the airport at Troy no we need a different airport one with an ILS
• 01:00 - 01:30 Pontiac Pontiac has an ILS Detroit approach it's a 70 kilo a 70 kilo Detroit approach go ahead we need to change our destination to do the ISS into Pontiac vanza 70 kilo Roger climb and maintain 3,500 Vector Pontiac 3,570 kilo can't climb we can't climb too much ice too much ice I've got it Bonanza 70 kilo maintain 3,500 have you started your climb sir negative we
• 01:30 - 02:00 can't climb banza 70 kilo the minimum vectoring altitude is 3,500 maintain 3,500 over we can't climb we're picking up ice ban 70 kilo Roger understand you're picking up ice by hitting 270 this will be vector's ILS Runway 9 Approach at Pontiac hey Bill Bill come here real quick John this Bonanza 70 kilo he's picking up ice I'm taking him out for the ILS Runway 9 Approach at Pontiac
• 02:00 - 02:30 it's probably severe because he can't hold his altitude call Pontiac Tower and tell him he's inbound they might want to have the truck standing by I'm going to declare an emergency on this guy thanks Bill John I don't think we're going to make it to the other side of the airport to do this approach ask for a closer approach Detroit approach 70 kilo we can't make the ILS we need another approach of Pontiac another approach a 70 kilo Roger turn right hitting 310 localizer back course Runway 27 at Pontiac intercept the localizer
• 02:30 - 03:00 310 for The Intercept back course 70 kilo 7 kilo say Souls on board 70 kilo Two Souls on board the story you have just seen was based on an actual flight a flight instructor and his student departed Cleveland in a bonanza Bound for Detroit they made a number of mistakes and found themselves in a
• 03:00 - 03:30 life-threatening icing encounter often each mistake A pilot makes closes the door to one more option for a safe recovery ice is one of a pilot's most Insidious enemies there are no hard and fast rules every encounter is unique and to some extent unpredictable and different aircraft May react differently to the same icing condition every encounter has the potential to be dangerous
• 03:30 - 04:00 accidents due to airframe icing usually involve experienced Pilots this video will help you open the door to more safety options and give you the tools to successfully avoid ice and to exit an inadvertent icing encounter we will follow two pilots through each phase of flight Rona is flying from Lorraine Ohio to Grand Rapids Michigan her senica is certified for flight into known icing
• 04:00 - 04:30 Greg is flying from Lorraine Ohio to Dayton Ohio his Saratoga is not equipped with an ice protection system and is not certified for flight into known icing we will present alternate situations to illustrate other icing challenges the Red film scrip will designate these alternate situations in order to present accurate and Visually descriptive icing encounters it was necessary to insert inflight icing images acquired on NASA icing research
• 04:30 - 05:00 aircraft as a general aviation pilot you have a tremendous responsibility unlike airline pilots who have an elaborate infrastructure to a system general aviation Pilots have a greater responsibility for Gathering analyzing and applying information to make the go noo decision the general aviation pilot bases this decision on prevailing weather conditions the aircraft capability and must pass judgment on his or her her own
• 05:00 - 05:30 capability at the time of flight general aviation aircraft often fly at altitudes conducive to atmospheric icing conditions the thread zone changes altitude with season and geography even small amounts of ice can significantly degrade your aircraft's performance and handling airframe or structural icing will both increase drag and reduce maximum lift this means the stall speed will increase and you may know notice a decreased air speed or
• 05:30 - 06:00 that more power is required to maintain a given air speed your aircraft will burn more fuel and the maximum range will be reduced the drag can increase to the point where it will overcome the amount of excess thrust available in this case attempting to climb or even maintain altitude by increasing the angle of attack could result in a stall the iced Wing will always stall sooner that is to say at a lower angle of attack or higher
• 06:00 - 06:30 air speed than a clean Wing if you find yourself in such a situation do not stall the aircraft be prepared to accept a controlled descent possibly to an off field Landing keeping the aircraft flying and under your control is Paramount to survival here you'll see two pilots Rona and Greg obtaining weather briefings Greg piloting an unprotected Saratoga is is obtaining his weather briefing from
• 06:30 - 07:00 duats and Rona piloting a protected senica is getting a phone briefing directly from flight service our Pilots need to ask two questions about the potential for icing conditions along their routes where is the ice where is it safe icing conditions exist where there is visible moisture and temperatures are in the freezing range visible moisture includes clouds and precipitation the freezing range starts near plus 2° C and
• 07:00 - 07:30 runs until about -2 although aircraft can accr ice below that typically the closer to freezing the more caution is warranted icing conditions do not exist when you are outside of the clouds there is no freezing precipitation or the temperature is outside of the freezing range to find out where ice exists and where it is safe Rona and Greg need to focus on obtaining ceilings tops freezing level py reps and any frontal
• 07:30 - 08:00 activity over their entire route this is an addition to the airmets and sigmets obtained from the standard briefing no that's all I need thanks a lot byebye are you going to be able to make your flight today I think so the forecast is only calling for moderate to light ice from the freezing level to 15,000 ft and the freezing level is at 7,000 ft ceiling are 1 to 2,000 ft with
• 08:00 - 08:30 10 mil of visibility front shouldn't come through till an hour after I get to Dayton did you get py reps yeah from a baron about an hour ago he was over Sandusky he got on top at 10,000 ft and it was clear above in negative ice you know I looked at the weather for a few airports to the west of Dayton and their forecast wasn't holding I think the front's coming through a lot faster than they thought I'm going to Grand Rapids and she gave me a freezing level at 7,000 along my route I got the bear and
• 08:30 - 09:00 pyp but I also got a report from a Cessna 210 at musum and they were picking up ice at 4,000 do you have any outs if you find the fonts coming through a little faster than you thought yeah I've got a number of outs with the weather conditions and the rout I'm flying first I filed for 6,000 ft but the mea is only 4,000 ft so I have room to descend if I need to in fact if I need to divert ceilings of visibilities are good and the me8 at Columbus is only 3,000 ft I should be able to make it it safely well since
• 09:00 - 09:30 they're not forecasting any ice along your route why don't you just file for 10,000 and get on top because the forecast freezing level was 7,000 ft and if I enter a cloud that's forecast icing and I'd be illegal Oh I thought it was only illegal for non icing that changed the reg's forecast icing since the Saratoga isn't certified for flight into ice since I'll have to fly through it I can't do it I'll have to settle for six but that should keep me above the freezing temperature these pre-fly tools will help you open the door to more outs and
• 09:30 - 10:00 make a safe go noo decision regardless of the type of aircraft you're piloting your go no-o decision should be based on whether or not you have a number of reliable outs along your entire route if conditions aren't what you expected if all conditions need to be just right for you to make your flight safely and you have no outs consider rerouting so you have reliable outs delaying or not going now in the next
• 10:00 - 10:30 sequence Rona and Greg are going to their same destinations with a different set of weather conditions are you going to be able to make your trip today know I don't think so forecast freezing levels at the surface and the in route ceilings are 500 ft I'd be illegal besides I wouldn't have any outs tops are being reported 18,000 F feet so any altitude's going to
• 10:30 - 11:00 keep me in the ice yes I got a pyate from an MD80 along my route today he was picking up light to moderate mixed icing and a Cessna 414 they were at my destination airport and reported severe icing so I went to the ads website and they predicted icing along most of my route ads what's ads oh the aviation Digital Data service yeah but you're still going to go right you've got boots that's the
• 11:00 - 11:30 biggest out there is no it's not safe for me to go either the conditions are so widespread I couldn't flight plan to stay out of the ice and I wouldn't have any outs the conditions right now at Grand Rapids are calling 200 a half mile and snow showers below my personal minimums everything would have to go just right and Boots aren't always an out depending upon the icing they may buy me some time until I can get out and that Cessna 414
• 11:30 - 12:00 giving a severe icing report at my destination airport I'm not going oh you're right I see the light to moderate icing report from the MD80 could translate into a moderate to severe encounter for a ga aircraft also the severe icing report from the Cessna 414 over the destination airport is likely to exceed rona's ice protection system the pyre reps along with the ads weather report indicate that icing
• 12:00 - 12:30 conditions are likely to be severe and widespread aircraft are certified for a specific icing envelope while this envelope covers the vast majority of icing encounters it does not cover them all some aircraft accidents are due to conditions that exceed this envelope and overwhelm the aircraft's ice protection system ice protection systems are best used as a defense ensive measure to buy
• 12:30 - 13:00 time until you can exit the icing condition don't assume that you're legal to fly in icing conditions because your aircraft has a supplemental type certificate for an optional ice protection system an STC system indicates the hardware is airworthy but its Effectiveness in ice removal may not have been demonstrated only with certified ice Protection Systems can you intentionally fly into known or for cast icing if
• 13:00 - 13:30 you're not sure check the Pilot's operating handbook it is very important to remove all snow ice and Frost from the aircraft during pre-flight pay close attention to frost buildup even a thin layer of frost can severely affect aircraft performance if your aircraft has been stored in a heated hanger snow could melt and refreeze on your aircraft also during pre-flight be sure to check that your pedo heat is working if your piloting a protected aircraft remember to check
• 13:30 - 14:00 your ice Protection Systems during runup it's better to detect malfunctions on the ground rather than in flight seven Mike Alpha cleared to Grand Rapids radar Vector sandeski Victor 30 to Lichfield direct Grand Rapids maintain 4,000 expect 8,000 in 10 minutes 124.0 squawk 5346 released at 1815 void if not off by 1822 the time now is
• 14:00 - 14:30 [Music] 1805 okay 29er 5 Sierra Romeo is cleared to India 19 radar Vector dryer Victor 435 Rosewood direct climb and maintain 3,000 expect 6,000 in one0 minutes Cleveland departure 124 0 squawk
• 14:30 - 15:00 5347 I'm released at 1833 and void at 1840 the forecast for Greg's route is 1 to 2,000 ft ceilings and unrestricted visibility underneath tops are layered from 6,000 to 10,000 and the freezing level is at 7,000 Cleveland approach Saratoga 29er 5
• 15:00 - 15:30 SI Romeo is off Lorraine County climbing through 2,300 for 3,000 Saratoga 295 Romeo Cleveland approach R contact 3 miles west of Lorraine County climing maintain 6,000 out of 2,500 for 6,000 5c Romeo Greg monitors his outside air temperature or oat gauge on climbout and notices the freezing level is actually lower than forecast he is Vigilant to monitor the threat of icing always
• 15:30 - 16:00 considering his available outs hey Mike we've got 500 feet to go and the oat gauge is already at zero I don't think we'll make six let alone stay there yeah and it looks like we're already picking up some ice yeah I'm going to see if we can get a lower altitude Center Sara 29er 5 here Romeo is picking up some ice request 4,000 and we can take a heading change November 5 Romeo me Ain 6,000 for crossing traffic
• 16:00 - 16:30 center 5c Romeo needs an immediate descent any direction November 5c Romeo Roger turn right hitting 270 descent and maintain 4,000 5c Romeo is out of 6,000 for 4,000 right turn 270 use the term immediate when it's necessary to avoid an imminent situation also if you're requesting an altitude change let the controller know that you're willing to take a heading change to expedite the
• 16:30 - 17:00 clearance rona's protected Sena is not immune to icing situations she is now cruising at 8,000 with an oat of -10° c and she's picking up ice you know we're picking up some ice I'm going to find out where the tops are we'd be better off on top than sitting down here Cleveland Center seven Mike Alpha do you have any top reports or icing reports for our area c 7 Mike Alpha Roger tops reported in the area around 9,500 clear
• 17:00 - 17:30 above and we don't have any pilot reports indicating any icing in your immediate area over seven mic Alpha requesting climb to 10,000 set a seven mic Alpha Roger maintain 8,000 for traffic I have your request expect higher in one0 Miles Roger s mik Alpha maintain 8,000 Rona should we ask for an immediate climb to get out of this ice no it's only Light Ice our boots will handle that for 10 miles if if it were moderate or severe though I'd ask for an
• 17:30 - 18:00 immediate climb in this situation climbing on top is clearly the right choice however if the tops aren't attainable you should still try to get out of the ice climbing to colder temperatures reduces the chances of a hazardous icing encounter and allows you more altitude to recover there are typically five safety outlets and a priority handling device in any inflight icing situation They Are CL climb descend continue divert or return
• 18:00 - 18:30 remember these safety Outlets apply to both unprotected and protected aircraft whose safe outcome is in question the priority handling device is the ability to declare an emergency if the situation deteriorates and the safe outcome of the flight is in question declare an emergency this will give you priority handling and allow you to exit your situation as soon as possible consider climbing when you can top the
• 18:30 - 19:00 clouds even if you remain in the cloud chances are you will climb out of the icing environment or at least reduce the threat by climbing to colder temperatures climbing also increases your ground clearance should you need to recover from a control anomaly be aware of cloud tops however this is where icing can be the worst consider descending when you can get below the clouds or to temperatures above freezing even if you remain in the cloud chances
• 19:00 - 19:30 are you will descend out of the icing environment also be mindful of your mea and that you will have less ground clearance under no circumstances should you remain in freezing rain or freezing drizzle continue your flight if it appears you are in the process of exiting the icing threat for example if you're exiting the cloud consider returning to your departure airport when early in your flight you discover the weather conditions are worse than expected
• 19:30 - 20:00 consider diverting when you can circumnavigate an icing threat of course you may have to divert and land at an alternate airport in that case the best choice may be behind you any course change requires communication with ATC be sure to clearly convey the level of urgency mention you are in icing if you're unsatisfied with the ATC response declaring an emergency will give you priority handling by doing so ATC is
• 20:00 - 20:30 allowed to help you exit the icing condition as soon as possible recall that F 91.3 States in an emergency requiring immediate action the pilot in command May deviate from any rule to the extent required to meet the emergency often there will be no post-flight consequences to you on some occasions you may have to fill out some paperwork perhaps more but whatever the cost it is up to you to ensure the safe
• 20:30 - 21:00 outcome of the flight Rona we're picking up some ice light to moderate Ryme I think I'd call it moderate mixed I should do a pyre good idea call it in all right Cleveland Center s Mike Alpha would like to make a pilot report s Mike Alpha go ahead senica s Mike Alpha is five Northwest of Waterville at 8,000 and we're getting some moderate mixed icing in the clouds we've lost five knots of air speed outside air
• 21:00 - 21:30 temperature is minus 10 cels 79 CA Roger have your report thank you pyps provide a snapshot of specific weather conditions for a particular location and altitude at a given time they are especially helpful for indicating whether or not ice actually exists however py reps have limitations because icing is often transient in nature the validity of the icing reports can
• 21:30 - 22:00 change pyps are aircraft and Ice protection system specific and are the subjective assessment of the pilot making the report even so request and Report pyre reps reporting a pyre is just as important as requesting one especially when conditions are better or worse than expected also it's important to report the absence of ice when it's been forecasted this way forecasting can be validated
• 22:00 - 22:30 and improved the identification of ice type and severity is still a subjective call for Pilots there are three types of ice rhyme clear and mixed Ryme ice has a Milky opaque appearance the look of a freezer that needs to be defrosted in many cases ryce either conforms to the Wing's Leading Edge or appears as a sharp pointed shape clear I device tends to be transparent and often
• 22:30 - 23:00 is very rough it can form horns which will generate significant drag these horns more significantly disrupt the air flow over the wing and tail mixed ice is a combination of rhyme and clear it occurs in conditions between pure rhyme and pure clear it typically appears clear in the center with white feathers on the side whether you're exposed to light moderate or severe ice is determined by
• 23:00 - 23:30 how the airframe responds to the icing environment this response is a combination of ice protection system aircraft configuration flight condition and atmospheric conditions Light Ice indicates that the rate of accumulation is such that occasional use of ice Protection Systems is required to remove or prevent accumulation moderate ice indicates that
• 23:30 - 24:00 frequent use of ice Protection Systems is necessary to remove or prevent ice and severe ice indicates that the rate of accumulation is so fast that ice Protection Systems fail to remove the accumulation of ice you need to exit this condition immediately even though py reps can be kind of a pain in the neck it's important to make py reps uh as a matter of fact uh when we look for ice as we do in research we use the py Reps as the single most important factor in finding
• 24:00 - 24:30 out exactly where the icing is uh we realize you can be somewhat subjective based on the type of aircraft you fly or your experience level uh the flip side of that of course is interpreting the py Reps for example uh Boeing 737 climbing through a certain altitude might report light ice when in fact it may be severe to a Cessna 182 that has a slower climb rate or in fact may be stuck right in the middle of the ice so be aware and interpret the py Reps an area of particular concern for all
• 24:30 - 25:00 Pilots is a weather phenomenon known as super cooled large droplets or SL sld refers to droplets sizes that are larger than what is currently required for aircraft certification into known icing and includes freezing rain and freezing drizzle sld will cause accretion to form Beyond protected regions of the wing as well as parts of the aircraft that normally do not get ice for GA aircraft SD condition should
• 25:00 - 25:30 be considered severe and extremely dangerous Sonica 7 mic Alpha climb and maintain 10,000 seven mic Alpha out of eight for 10,000 I'm going to hit the boots again I thought you had to have a half inch of ice on him before you kicked him no it's better to keep the wing as clean as possible well what about ice bridging that just doesn't exist with today's boots until recently Pilots had been instructed to wait for the ice to build
• 25:30 - 26:00 up to a certain thickness before activating their boots it was believe that if the boots were activated too early the ice might not break off but instead expand to the shape of the inflated Boot and remain in that position this would leave a gap between the boot and the ice that subsequent boot Cycles could not remove this phenomenon was referred to as ice bridging ice bridging was
• 26:00 - 26:30 attributed to early boot technology that had very wide tubes and slow inflation and deflation rates however recent Technical and operational information indicates that modern pneumatic boots characteristically do not have ice bridging problems no accidents or incidents have been attributed to ice bridging with modern boots what you may see is residual ice which will clear on subsequent boot
• 26:30 - 27:00 Cycles boot should be activated at the first sign of ice and as often as needed for final Authority on proper use of your ice Protection Systems refer to your PO or AFM always pay close attention for signs of ice secretion usually aircraft components with a small radius or a thin Leading Edge will accrete ice first objects such as an o T probe or Wing struts will typically show the
• 27:00 - 27:30 first signs of ice secretion ice may also appear on the windscreen pay close attention to the oat gauge inflight icing conditions exist when the outside air temperature is about plus 2° C or below and some water in the cloud is liquid at the first sign of ice turn on all of your ice protection equipment this may include windshield field heat or defroster prop deice fluid surface
• 27:30 - 28:00 deicers and pneumatic boots of course if the pedo heat wasn't turned on prior to takeoff it should be on prior to entering visible moisture if the temperature is in the freezing range even if your ice protection system is working the increased drag from nonprotected surfaces may still be significant for example a NASA research aircraft experienced a 36% increase in
• 28:00 - 28:30 drag with the Clear Eye secretion on the unprotected surfaces with the ice protection system working Greg is 10 Mi Northeast of Rosewood and 30 Mi mil from his destination airport at i19 Dayton Green County his oat gauge is dropping to minus 3° C it is apparent that the front came through sooner than the forecast and he just crossed it Greg checks his oat probe and wing and doesn't see ice
• 28:30 - 29:00 yet he realizes conditions are right for icing so he reviews his options he knows he can't stay there since he's at 4,000 ft the mea he has lost the out of going lower he immediately queries ATC to get pyps Mike I bet you there's some ice around here I don't think we should wait till we get in it let's see if we can climb on top sounds like a good idea Columbus approach Saratoga 29er 5 SI
• 29:00 - 29:30 Romeo do you have any top reports or icing py reps in the area November 5 Z Romeo negative standby 20254 Victor what were the tops in your climb Columbus tops were at 5,600 clear above light mix icing 4,000 to 5,600 Saratoga 5 Romeo amuni 5 southeast of Rosewood reports a tops at 5,600 clear above he also reports light mixed icing between 4,000 and
• 29:30 - 30:00 5,600 what are Greg's best safety Outlets climbing offers the best option in this case the tops are only 1,600 ft above he cannot descend because he's at his mea to continue will only prolong his exposure to ice to divert or return is viable but more drastic than necessary Roger 5 Romeo request climb to 6,000 November 5 Z Romeo Roger
• 30:00 - 30:30 standby hey there it is we're picking up some ice approaches is 5 Romeo we're picking up ice we need an immediate climb we'll take any heading SE 5 Romeo Roger climbing maintain 6,000 leaving 4,000 for 6,000 now what if Greg's aircraft were so iced he couldn't climb Columbus approaches 5c Romeo we're
• 30:30 - 31:00 picking up a lot of ice and unable to maintain altitude November 5c Romeo say your intentions 5 Romeo we'd like to declare an emergency and get vectors to the nearest airport November 5 Romeo Roger Bell Fontaine is 7 miles to the east expect vectors for the NDB or GPS 22 approach turn right hitting 090 de to maintain 3,000 090 leaving 4,000 for 3,000 expect
• 31:00 - 31:30 a GPS 22 5 Romeo remember any time the outcome of your flight is in question don't hesitate to declare an emergency good afternoon Grand Rapids approach 49er 7 Mike Alpha with you at 10,000 setting a 49er 7 Mike Alpha Grand Rapids approach control descend and maintain 4,000 flight present heading vector's ILS Runway 35 seven Mike Alpha leaving 10,000 for 4,000 Bob why don't you get the adus for us
• 31:30 - 32:00 okay there you go Grand Rapids international airport information Tango 1855 zlu wind 3000 at 5 visibility to mist ceiling 500 overcast temperature minus 2 D Point minus 3 altimeter 2 Niner nin OR7 ILS approach to Runway 35 in use departing Runway 35 notice to Airman last Runway 26 left out of service okay we're leveling off at 4,000
• 32:00 - 32:30 and we're just on top look over there at the rainbow right there around that shadow on the cloud you see the shadow yeah they look neat don't they and you know what that means right has something to do with moisture doesn't it yes definitely indicates there's liquid water in the clouds and we're at minus 6 degrees we're definitely going to get ice I'm sure we will Rona was able to gather icing
• 32:30 - 33:00 information from the rainbow around her shadow on the cloud a rainbow indicates the existence of liquid water in the cloud if the temperature is in the freezing range you'll probably get ice however this will not indicate the type or severity of ice to get this information you should query for pyre reps along your route c 7 Mike Alpha descended maintain 3,500 flying 35 seven Mike Alpha leaving four for 3.5
• 33:00 - 33:30 right turn to 350 you have the prop heat on I turned it on when I spotted the rainbow but you know 3500 is going to put us right near the tops sometimes that's where the worst icing is and it looks like we're picking up some moderate clear now rona's just descended into the clouds and she knows to expect ice the question is how bad climbing is probably her best option since she knows it's clear above descending will only keep
• 33:30 - 34:00 her in the icing environment since the temperature isus 6C and the ceiling is 500 ft continuing or diverting will unnecessarily prolong her exposure to ice Bob this is crazy we're getting moderate clear I'm going to ask to go back on top what about going lower no the Aus reported 500 ft in minus 2° we could be an icing the whole way down if it was my only option I'd take it and probably get out of this moderate clear
• 34:00 - 34:30 our best option is to climb back on top Grand Rapids approach this is s mic Alpha we're getting moderate clear ice we'd like to go back to 4,000 c a s mic Alpha Roger climbing maintain 4,000 the Grand Rapids alimer 2997 Greg is on top at 6000 he climbed from four his mea to escape an icing encounter the oat reads minus 5C and the tops are at 5 5,600 Greg now has to consider his next
• 34:30 - 35:00 move he is concerned that his destination airport is socked in Flight watches is Saratoga 295 SI Romeo 20 miles Northeast of Rosewood at 6,000 Roger November 295 sier Romeo this is Indianapolis flight watch voice for Dayton go ahead flight watch 5 SI Romeo is 20 miles Northeast to Rosewood in route to India 19 request an in route briefing Roger sir uh green county has no weather reporting the closest airport
• 35:00 - 35:30 is Right Patterson and they're reporting 2,000 overcast temperature minus 3 do Point minus 8 altimeter 3015 visibility 15 win 280 at 1 Z and there was a pilot report about an hour ago from a baron that reported light to moderate clear icing on the climb with tops to 5,800 over flight watch 5c Romeo are there any airports in the area with better conditions and November 5 sier Romeo affirmative it
• 35:30 - 36:00 looks like hook field is your best bet their aw is reporting scattered layer at 2000 temperature minus 2 D pointus Niner altimeter 3011 wind 280 at 1 visibility 15 and negative icing reports for that area over thanks for the report Gregs checked all his options diverting to the alternate airport hook field make makes the most sense Dayton approach Saratoga 29er 5
• 36:00 - 36:30 Romeo like to do an approach to Mike whiskey Oscar hook field then request VFR flight following to Green County India 19 November 5 Romeo Roger you're now cleared to hook field via radar vectors fly present heading descend and maintain 4,000 approach VI here Romeo like to State 6,000 on top as long as possible Saratoga 5 Romeo if you'd like to stay at 6 I'll have to take you around Dayton class SE Roger 5 Romeo he still prefer to stay
• 36:30 - 37:00 at six November 5 Romeo Roger turn left hitting 14 maintain 6000 Greg was fortunate enough to be able to make an approach at a nearby airport that had good weather he will continue on to his destination VFR even though it's going to take more time to reach his destination airport staying out of the icing condition is param Mount notice Greg did not accept a
• 37:00 - 37:30 clearance that would take him into potential icing conditions pilots in unprotected aircraft should not accept ATC Direction into potentially hazardous icing conditions November 5 SI Romeo you're six miles from Onida maintained 3,000 until established on the localizer cleared for the localizer runway 23 Approach at hook field change to advisory frequency is approved report back on this frequency upon on completion of the approach for vfi
• 37:30 - 38:00 advisories I Romeo cleared localizer maintain three till established clear to switch to advisories and we'll report back with you after the approach 5c Romeo Greg's decisions allow him to make an ice free approach remember if you make an approach in icing conditions you could accumulate enough ice to make a missed approach as well as a second attempt at Landing impossible if better weather conditions are not an option and you're forced to make an approach in icing conditions
• 38:00 - 38:30 consider a destination airport with an ILS this will provide you with a more stabilized approach and increase the likelihood of a successful Landing now the weather conditions are much worse and the alternator in Greg's aircraft has just failed he is forced to land there are low ceilings in the area the freezing level is at the surface and a King Air just ahead reported light to moderate clear icing his best choice is to find a nearby airport that allows him to make an ILS
• 38:30 - 39:00 approach do you think we'll be able to get into Green County I'm not going to take that chance since we have to make an approach in icing we'll go to Springfield and do the ILS we could always try the NDB to Green County and go to Springfield if we don't get in no we might get so iced up we can only make one approach I want to do an ILS to make sure we get in my plan is to stay on top as long as possible I know we'll get ice on the approach we add 10 knots or so and then do a no flap
• 39:00 - 39:30 Landing oh I see what you're doing and Springfield also has longer runways that's right Dayton 5 S R we'd like to change our destination to Springfield we also like to stay on top here at 5 Saratoga 5c Romeo flight present heading maintain 5,000 expect ILS Runway 24 Approach at Springfield 5 Romeo Roger fly present heading and maintain 5,000 expect the ISS 24 Springfield because there is a greater risk of pitch or roll upsets at slower speeds most
• 39:30 - 40:00 icing accidents occur during the approach and Landing phase of the flight cica 7 Mike Alpha descended maintain 3000 by heading 270 Vector to the ILS Runway 35 left 270 ILS Runway 35 why'd you turn the autopilot off I thought it could fly the ILS whenever you fly in ice it's better to hand fly your airplane that way you can feel the
• 40:00 - 40:30 plane talk to you if you're an icing especially during the approach hand fly your aircraft the autopilot is likely to mass the first indications of an upset if you hand fly you'll feel the impending handling anomaly and be able to recover before it's too late hey even if your aircraft is protected you're going to continually build ice hand fly the aircraft ice that seems to to have little effect during Cruise can have
• 40:30 - 41:00 significant effects when air speed is reduced or the configuration has changed especially during approach and Landing your aircraft is pushed toward its performance limits this puts it at some risk for ice contaminated Wing or tail stall ice contaminated Wing stall occurs when the wing angle of attack is too high this corresponds to a slow air speed if the wing does stall the aircraft will either roll or pitch nose
• 41:00 - 41:30 down symptoms of an imminent Wing stall include airframe buffet and sluggish or ineffective roll control the recovery from an ice contaminated Wing stall is the same as a clean Wing stall immediately reduce the angle of attack reducing the angle of attack reattaches air flow to the Wing's upper surface the wing angle of attack is reduced by pushing forward on the yolk and adding
• 41:30 - 42:00 power if the wing is iced you cannot rely on your stall warning device because the iced Wing is likely to stall at a lower angle of attack than a clean wi also the stall warning system can freeze on an unprotected aircraft rendering it absolutely useless while a wing stall with ice is more common an ice contaminated horizontal stabilizer can also lead to loss of pitch control in most aircraft designs the
• 42:00 - 42:30 horizontal stabilizer has a sharper Leading Edge than the wing therefore it collects ice much more efficiently if you notice any ice on the wing it is likely that the ice has already been accreting on the horizontal stabilizer for quite some time a tail stall or a pitch upet usually occurs during or after flap extension flap extension mention greatly increases the local angle of attack at
• 42:30 - 43:00 the tail also higher speeds or a high speed for flap extension further increases the tail plane angle of attack finally if the thrust line on your aircraft is above the center of gravity adding power will increase the nose down pitch and aggravate a tail stall prior to a tail stall you're likely to experience some significant but subtle warning signs at first you may experience lightening of the yok in the forward Direction other signs
• 43:00 - 43:30 include difficulty trimming the pitch and the onset of pitch Excursion similar to Pilot induced oscillations if this situation progresses you may also experience buffeting in the Yol but not the airframe in extreme cases the Yol might want to snatch forward if this happens the nose will suddenly pitch down to recover from a tail stall pull back on the yolk to resist the nose down
• 43:30 - 44:00 pitch raise the flaps and consider reducing power the differences in tactile cues between a wing and a tail stall are subtle the recovery procedures are opposite you must be able to quickly and correctly distinguish between the two the key factors are air speed and flap deflection a wing will stall when the critical angle of attack is exceeded this typically corresponds to a slow air
• 44:00 - 44:30 speed a tail stall occurs at a high enough tailplane angle of attack this almost always corresponds to lowering the flaps to recover from a wing stall push forward on the yolk and add power on the other hand to recover from a tail stall pull the yolk back raise the flaps and consider reducing power when it comes to handling events
• 44:30 - 45:00 remember one thing undo what you just did this might be all you need to recover whether you're piloting a protected or unprotected aircraft here are some strategies to minimize your exposure to ice on approach while being vectored for Final Approach or flying a full non-precision approach stay on top as long as possible and practical in fact if conditions and your comfort level allow stay on top until
• 45:00 - 45:30 intercepting the Final Approach course and glide slope in Bound don't accept intermediate altitude assignments in icing conditions be aware that this could result in a higher than normal descent rate on a non-precision approach keep your speed up this will increase the stall margin if it's snowing at your destination chances are you won't pick up ice if the cloud is glaciated the the water is already Frozen ice crystals will harmlessly
• 45:30 - 46:00 bounce off your aircraft Rona is on ILS approach into her final destination the ceilings are at 500 ft and the freezing level is at the surface c 7 Mike Alpha turn right heading 330 5 miles from Caldo maintain 3,000 until established on the localizer clear isas Runway 35 over Calo contact Grand Rapids Tower good day Roger 7 Mike Alpha right turn to 33 Z cleared IL ls35 maintain 3,000 till established call the
• 46:00 - 46:30 tower at Calo okay Bob we'll cycle the boots at the Final Approach fix and then one last time when we break out of the clouds we'll also keep the speed up about 10 knots on Final yeah that sounds good to me as busy as you are remember to cycle your boots at the final fix this will keep your wings clean during this crucial phase of flight to increase the stall margin keep your speed up Greg is able to make a VFR approach in
• 46:30 - 47:00 landing and did not accept a clearance that would take him into potential icing conditions dayon approach 5 Romeo we have Green County in sight like to cancel flight following November 5 Romeo Roger squawk 120 frequency change approved okay squawk 12200 frequency change approve good day 5 Romeo Green County Unicom Saratoga 295 CR
• 47:00 - 47:30 Romeo request airport advisory November 5 CR Romeo Green county is using Runway 25 winds are 280 at Niner no other traffic reported Greg is able to make a VFR approach and Landing but he still has some residual ice on his airplane from the earlier inadvertent ice encounter remember ice which has little effect during Cruise can have significant effects when air speed is reduced or the configuration is
• 47:30 - 48:00 changed if your aircraft is or you suspect it is carrying ice remember the following increase your approach speed this allows you to increase your stall margin and make a safer approach in landing consider Landing with no flaps or reduced flaps if you're worried about a tail stall this will increase your margin minimize your bank angle for example if the aircraft is not aligned with a Runway don't make any High Bank
• 48:00 - 48:30 turns instead use shallow Maneuvers turns will decrease the stall margin bringing you closer to a stall and if you're worried about maintaining altitude due to the drag penalty consider delaying gear extension until the runway is assured this finanza 70 kilo he's picking up ice I'm taking him out for the ILS Runway 9 Approach at Pontiac it's probably severe because he can't hold his altitude call Pontiac Tower and tell him he's inbound they might want to
• 48:30 - 49:00 have the truck standing by I'm going to declare an emergency on this guy okay do thanks Bill John I don't think we're going to make it to the other side of the airport to do this approach ask for a closer approach Detroit approach 70 kilo we can't make the ILS we need another approach of Pontiac another approach after asking us how many Souls were on board a traffic control veered us towards Pontiac Airport by the time we intercepted the localizer we were clearly well below the minimum descent altitude we had difficulty maintaining
• 49:00 - 49:30 altitude and were losing altitude at 100 to 200 ft a minute despite being under full power our major concern at this time was maintaining control of the aircraft fortunately by this time as we were 3 miles from the airport we were stopped we stopped accumulating ice and our defroster was working well enough that we had good visibility forward out of the wind screen we still had no side of the ground and only as we came over the runway could we see see downward and see the concrete at which point we then put the landing gear down and made a very
• 49:30 - 50:00 hard full stall Landing it was quite evident that we could not have gone another quarter mile we did taxi out down to the ramp and when I got out of the aircraft the amount of ice is truly Indescribable there was Ice covering the entire aircraft including the antenna the propeller spinner had ice about a foot long and the wings had 6 in of ice in a shape of a horn coming off the front leading edges is having been through this experience
• 50:00 - 50:30 and survived to both tell you about it and hopefully teach you about it I would ask that you keep one thing in mind always and that is to respect the power of ice on an aircraft with the weather changes I'm glad we made it even with all the route changes we're only 20 minutes late it's good to have outs Grand Rapids Tower 7 Mike Alpha with you on ALS 35 7 Mike Alpha clear to land Runway 35 r 7 mik Alpha clear land
• 50:30 - 51:00 35 Rona I have the runway okay Bob I'll take over visually Rona that was a great flight thanks a lot the best insurance against an icing encounter is avoidance develop a pre-flight plan know where the ice is and where it is
• 51:00 - 51:30 safe remember ice can only exist when there is visible moisture and temperatures are in the freezing range be sure you know the freezing levels cloudtops ceilings and any relevant py reps also be aware of any frontal activity along your route and up weather always build reliable outs into your flight plan you may have to reroute to ensure this if reliable outs are not
• 51:30 - 52:00 possible consider delaying or not going report and request py reps they are the most accurate way of determining current icing conditions they are especially helpful when conditions are better or worse than expected be assertive with ATC if you're piloting an unprotected aircraft do not accept ATC clearances in a hold climb or descent that would put you in a potentially hazardous icing
• 52:00 - 52:30 condition if icing conditions do exist be vigilant to the cues of ice secretion pay attention to the areas of the aircraft with a small radius or thin Leading Edge they will accrete ice first hand fly your aircraft in possible icing conditions this will provide tactial cues to early signs of potential roll or pitch upset monitor your air speed and or power settings if you notice
• 52:30 - 53:00 significant performance degradation exit the condition immediately it is always a good idea to work to exit icing conditions whether the aircraft is protected or not never use the ice protection system as a tool of complacency typically you can climb descend continue divert or return to exit icing conditions once you determine you need to exit clearly communicate to ATC the urgency of the situation if you
• 53:00 - 53:30 do not get the clearance to make the required change and feel the safety of the flight is in Jeopardy declare an emergency if iist be careful of configuration or flight condition changes on approach keep your speed up this will increase your wing stall margin also consider a no flap or reduced flap Landing to increase your tail stall margin finally if you're unable to maintain altitude consider
• 53:30 - 54:00 delaying gear extension until the runway is assured remember these tools are the keys to help you open the door to more safety options and successfully avoid ice and exit an inadvertent ice encounter
• 54:00 - 54:30 [Music]