In article , lid says...


Hello,

Not a Physicist, so please bear with me.

The posts here seem to imply that wing icing occurs (mainly), if not
exclusively, on the leading edges, and not on the upper or lower wing
surfaces.

Why ?

If it does occur on the upper surfaces in modern jet commercial aircraft, is
there also
hot bleed air available for this large surface, as there is for the leading
edges ?

If it does occur on modern turboprops, on the upper surface, there is
nothing they can do to remove it.
Right ?

Not quite.
Good points though. The "hot wing" solution used on high-flyers is to heat the
leading edges so hot that freezing particles will not only remain above
freezing, but simply vaporize to avoid run-back re-freezing. Yes, that means
very hot, and lots of energy to burn.

The turboprop and high-performance piston solution is to use de-icing boots
that inflate to break off ice after it has formed. There is ongoing debate
about "ice bridging" the theory that the boots may inflate too soon, and that
ice will form around or over the inflated profile so as to render the boot
cycling ineffective. "Official" and "user" opinions vary as often as the
seasons change on this one. Not to be neglected is the "TKS" system, more
popular on high-performance pistons than on turboprops, which weeps de-icing
fluid across the wings through millions (yes, millions) of micro-pores drilled
in the leading edges. Popular in Mooneys for years, it is gradually gaining
ground and may actually find application in passenger tirboprops in years to
come. . . There's a significant weight penalty for that de-icing fluid, and
when it's gone, it's gone. . .