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Revision as of 01:40, 9 September 2005 by GRAHAMUK (talk | contribs) (initial)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)In aviation, icing conditions are those atmospheric conditions that can lead to the formation of water ice on the surfaces of the aircraft, or as carb icing within the engine. The two phenomena will not necessarily occur together; the presence of one is not linked to the other.
Ice is formed when air containing water vapour is cooled below freezing point. Temperature drops are associated with pressure drops, so ice may form wherever there is a pressure drop, which can include parts of the aircraft's wing, tailplane and fin, as well as the venturi within the carburetor, pitot tube, etc. Ice so formed tends to stick to the surface, and gradually builds up as long as icing conditions exist. This build-up of ice can be very dangerous if left unchecked, adding to an aircraft's weight as well as disrupting the flow of air. In the engine, it can lead to stoppage.
Icing prevention and cure
There area number of ways to tackle icing. The most obvious is not to fly into icing conditions, but clearly for some flights this isn't always practical. If icing is expected, anti-icing fluid can be applied to the aircraft to prevent ice from forming, or from sticking to the surface if it does form.
Another approach is to include heating elements along the leading edges of wings and tailplanes which will keep the surface above freezing point. Carb heat is used within the engines of small aircraft to prevent and clear icing.
Yet another system is to have an inflatable rubber leading edge - inflating the edge with compressed air mechanically cracks off any ice that has formed.
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