Aero-Tips!
A good pilot is always learning -- how many times have you heard
this old standard throughout your flying career? There is no truer
statement in all of flying (well, with the possible exception of
"there are no old, bold pilots.") It's part of what makes aviation
so exciting for all of us... just when you think you've seen it
all, along comes a scenario you've never imagined.
Aero-News has called upon the expertise of Thomas P. Turner,
master CFI and all-around-good-guy, to bring our readers -- and us
-- daily tips to improve our skills as aviators, and as
representatives of the flying community. Some of them, you may have
heard before... but for each of us, there will also be something we
might never have considered before, or something that didn't
"stick" the way it should have the first time we memorized it for
the practical test.
It is our unabashed goal that "Aero-Tips" will help our readers
become better, safer pilots -- as well as introducing our
ground-bound readers to the concepts and principles that keep those
strange aluminum-and-composite contraptions in the air... and allow
them to soar magnificently through it.
Look for our daily Aero-Tips segments, coming each day to you
through the Aero-News Network. Suggestions for future Aero-Tips are
always welcome, as are additions or discussion of each day's tips.
Remember... when it comes to being good pilots, we're all in this
together.
Aero-Tips 01.17.06
Airframe ice is bad news all around. Sure, it increases
airplane weight—but that’s not the half of it. Ice
accumulation destroys airflow patterns, rendering wings and tail
dangerously unpredictable. Stalls may come at any speed, on one
wing before the other (inviting a spin), on the tail first (causing
an unrecoverable nose-down pitch), and without the usual warning
cues.
Ice reports
The Aeronautical Information Manual gives us precise guidance on
reporting ice intensities:
- Trace icing forms perceptibly, but does not require
anti- or deice equipment unless encountered for longer than an
hour.
- Light ice requires occasional use of anti- or deice
equipment, encounters of one hour or more are extremely
dangerous.
- Moderate icing is hazardous even in short encounters,
and requires continuous use of deicing equipment. Diversion is
called for even in “known ice” airplanes, as ice may
form on unprotected surfaces.
- Severe ice accumulates faster that deicing equipment can
remove it. Immediate diversion is necessary.
If you encounter ice, should you report it? Some pilots fear the
FAA’s response if they report ice. If you encounter
unforecast ice accidentally, you’re not in the wrong. And if
your airplane is ice-certified, it’s perfectly legal (though
perhaps ill-advised) for you to “go up for a look” --
so there are no repercussions for an icing report. Either way,
accurately report any ice you find -- correct information saves
lives.
Aero-tip of the day: Understand and use the
proper terms for ice reporting, so you (and others) can avoid
icing’s hazards.