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Icing conditions exist when the air contains droplets of supercooled water. They freeze on contact with a potential nucleation site, which in this case is the parts of the aircraft, causing icing. Icing conditions are characterized quantitatively by the average droplet size, the liquid water content and the air temperature.
Aircraft icing increases weight and drag, decreases lift, and can decrease thrust. Ice reduces engine power by blocking air intakes. When ice builds up by freezing upon impact or freezing as runoff, it changes the aerodynamics of the surface by modifying the shape and the smoothness of the surface which increases drag, and decreases wing lift ...
In December 2008, the NTSB issued a safety bulletin about the danger of keeping the autopilot engaged during icing conditions. Flying the plane manually was essential to ensure that pilots would be able to detect changes in the handling characteristics of the airplane, which are warning signs of ice accumulation. [55] [56] [57]
De-icing serves a critical purpose, preventing snow and ice from building up on aerodynamic surfaces, which can affect the flying characteristics of an aircraft. Snowy conditions also impact how ...
In-flight icing can “distort the flow of air over the wing and adversely affect handling qualities,” according to Federal Aviation Administration documents, leading an airplane to “roll or ...
Icing conditions can be particularly dangerous to aircraft, as the built-up ice changes the aerodynamics of the flight surfaces and airframe and results in structural icing, which can increase the risk of a stall and potentially accidents. There are three types of structural icing: rime icing, clear (or glaze) icing, and mixed icing.
There was no verbal inquiry by the captain about the status of the icing conditions or the aircraft deice/anti-icing systems. At 15:55:42, the first officer commented, "we still got ice." This comment was not verbally acknowledged by the captain. The CVR indicated that the flightcrew had no further discussions regarding the icing conditions.
The Federal Aviation Administration has flagged more safety issues for two troubled families of Boeing planes, the latest in a series of issues at the embattled aircraft maker.