portable de-icing gear

[Dan Luke]

Received this afternoon from Montblack,one of our members in a far
northern outpost:

One (1) portable, DC powered ice removal tool.

This interesting device consists of a metal heating coil and integral
scraping blade attached to a short handle, and a 15-foot cord with a
male DC plug. No STC paper work was included.

Careful study of the rather skimpy instruction sheet reveals no clues as
to how the device is to be employed in the event of an in-flight icing
encounter, therefore, I have a few questions:

o Is it safe to leave the autopilot in command while one goes outside to
remove ice?

o The cord is too short to reach the empennage; does the device emit
sufficient radiant heat to do the job from a distance?

o How about the prop? Should I stop the engine, de-ice, and then
restart?

o I think I have the windshield part figured out.

Any advice from experienced users appreciated.

--
Dan
C172RG at BFM

[Bob Gardner]

Are you sure that this is not for igloo construction?

Bob Gardner

"Dan Luke" > wrote in message
...
> Received this afternoon from Montblack,one of our members in a far
> northern outpost:
>
> One (1) portable, DC powered ice removal tool.
>
> This interesting device consists of a metal heating coil and integral
> scraping blade attached to a short handle, and a 15-foot cord with a male
> DC plug. No STC paper work was included.
>
> Careful study of the rather skimpy instruction sheet reveals no clues as
> to how the device is to be employed in the event of an in-flight icing
> encounter, therefore, I have a few questions:
>
> o Is it safe to leave the autopilot in command while one goes outside to
> remove ice?
>
> o The cord is too short to reach the empennage; does the device emit
> sufficient radiant heat to do the job from a distance?
>
> o How about the prop? Should I stop the engine, de-ice, and then restart?
>
> o I think I have the windshield part figured out.
>
> Any advice from experienced users appreciated.
>
> --
> Dan
> C172RG at BFM
>

[N93332]

"Dan Luke" > wrote in message
...
> Received this afternoon from Montblack,one of our members in a far
> northern outpost:
>
> One (1) portable, DC powered ice removal tool.
>
> This interesting device consists of a metal heating coil and integral
> scraping blade attached to a short handle, and a 15-foot cord with a male
> DC plug. No STC paper work was included.

Since it's portable like a handheld radio or GPS, no STC required.


> Careful study of the rather skimpy instruction sheet reveals no clues as
> to how the device is to be employed in the event of an in-flight icing
> encounter, therefore, I have a few questions:
>
> o Is it safe to leave the autopilot in command while one goes outside to
> remove ice?

Yes, but not recommended...

> o The cord is too short to reach the empennage; does the device emit
> sufficient radiant heat to do the job from a distance?

No, either use a longer power cable or a portable power supply.

> o How about the prop? Should I stop the engine, de-ice, and then restart?

It'd probably be easier that way...

> o I think I have the windshield part figured out.
>
> Any advice from experienced users appreciated.

I have one of these devices but haven't tried it for aviation use. They
work well on cars up north when plugged into a portable 12v battery pack. I
haven't tried to deice the plane with it yet. My plane hasn't had ice on
it, yet...

-Greg B.

[Viperdoc]

Another thing you can try is to get a pump up garden sprayer and deice your
plane with antifreeze or TKS fluid. The advantage is that it works quickly
and will give you ice protection as well.

[Montblack]

("Dan Luke" wrote)
> One (1) portable, DC powered ice removal tool.
>
> This interesting device consists of a metal heating coil and integral
> scraping blade attached to a short handle, and a 15-foot cord with a male
> DC plug. No STC paper work was included.


Glad it made it - I couldn't for the life of me read that (27 digit)
Internet tracking number on the UPS sender's label, even with one eye
closed.

Garage sale $1.00
Shipping it to Alabama: Priceless :-)

For some visual help:
Front part looks like a small Black and Decker DustBuster. Where the B&DDB
would suck (not that this garage sale "find" doesn't also suck<g>) ...that's
where the heating element is located - under a protective hood - bottom of
protective hood is open to the windshield. The front lip of the thing, which
is an extension of the hood, is shaped like a regular ice scraper.

The other end of the 'heated ice scraper' has a custom grip handle that
houses the cord and DC plug.

Now Dan's got the equipment he needs to move up to Minnesota - and away from
them darn hurricanes!!


Montblack
Frost across Northern Minnesota last night

[Ben Jackson]

On 2005-09-23, Bob Gardner > wrote:
> Are you sure that this is not for igloo construction?

Now you've done it...

"Center, request lower, we're constructing an involuntary igloo around the
plane."

--
Ben Jackson
>
http://www.ben.com/