Round table «Flight Safety. Aircraft de-icing on the ground»
De-icing in aviation exist as long as aviation itself. On the ground de-icing quickly became a separate problem. All the leading airplane manufacturers and national research centers are working on the problem of anti-ice protection during maintenance and pre-flight while no one is working on the same problems for helicopters.
Interstate Aviation Committee together with TsAGI (Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute) are working hard on the aircraft de-acing problem. «Recommendations on the atmospheric icing protection of aircraft on the ground» draft was recently developed. It is a very important and useful document, but only for the fixed wing aircrafts.
The application of all provisions of the document in the helicopter industry is impossible due to many reasons – technological as well as purely constructive. Helicopter design features make it impossible to apply many technologies and methods that are used for airplane de-icing. Meanwhile, the icing problem is as important for the helicopter pilots. Especially, when considering one of the main helicopter operational feature – they are often based outside any airport infrastructure.
Unfortunately, this is the circumstances when helicopter icing on the ground happens the most. Manufacturer recomendations on this problem are limited and usually only advise storing the helicopter in a hangar or fully covering the aircraft and applying warm air for de-icing. That’s all.
Operational conditions in reality are throwing much more complicated tasks.
How do you solve them? What resources and methods to use?
How to find the balance between the necessary equipment and materials to provide the protection against icing on the ground?
How and what to use to de-ice the helicopter when it happens?
On these and many other questions, it is possible to find answers in the «Recommendations on the atmospheric icing protection of aircraft on the ground» draft.
You are welcome to share your experience and participate in finding the solution for this important to all helicopter aviators problem.
The Round table will take place 21, May in a Conference hall No. 4, Pavilion No.1
IEC «Expo Crocus» ( 14.00 — 16.00 ).
