Apparently Iced Up

(smackey) wrote in message om...
I'm looking for some advice whether I was too onservative he

Later that evening I went to the plane (C172/180) to return to BIL
and found a very thin layer of ice (about 5 or 6 pages of paper thick)
on all the leading edges of my plane. It was dark, about 10pm, and I
elected to stay the night.

Well, I wouldn't have taken off with ice on the leading edges
nor trusted to them sublimating. But in similar circumstances
I've been able to depart, ice-free, in about 20 minutes either
by asking that the plane be put in a heated hangar or by buying
a gallon of de-icing solution and spraying down the leading
edges (w/ C172 obviously borrowing a ladder would be necessary).
Obviously whether or not this was feasible depends on what was
available to you. "None of the above" remain overnight seems
the soundest option.

I've heard of pilots carrying a long strip of sewn-together terry
towels and tossing them over the wing/using them to polish a layer
of frost smooth. But frankly it would make me nervous with pax
or at night, unless I'd tried it a few times and had a pretty sound
notion exactly how it changed my airplane's performance.

Cheers,
Sydney

"Mike Rapoport" wrote in message thlink.net...
It probably would not have sublimated on climb out, sublimation takes a long
time. You might want to consider filling your garden sprayer with RV-type
antifreeze as a deicing solution in the winter.

Mike
MU-2

Thanks to all for the feedback. Question on the garden sprayer:
I usually have one filled with 90% solution of isopropyl alcohol
(didn't that nigt) from the drug store. Any reason this isn't a
feasible deicing solution to use if I were departing, say, in daytime?

Isopropyl alcohol can be a bit expensive, and evaporates quickly. Deicing
fluid like TKS is usually some combination of ethylene glycol and
isopropanol, which is a lot more viscous and sticks to the airframe better.
It also makes a tremendous mess on the hangar floor that never evaporates on
its own, and is very slippery.

A mix of warm water and cheap glycol based antifreeze in a garden sprayer
works pretty well as a substitute as mentioned. The pink or yellow-green dye
won't matter. Don't forget to do the wheels and landing gear, as well as
flap tracks, etc. In lieu of a plane with deice equipment it may give a few
minutes of ice protection, particularly if you taxi out in snow or slush.


"smackey" wrote in message
...
"Mike Rapoport" wrote in message
thlink.net...
It probably would not have sublimated on climb out, sublimation takes a
long
time. You might want to consider filling your garden sprayer with
RV-type
antifreeze as a deicing solution in the winter.

Mike
MU-2

Thanks to all for the feedback. Question on the garden sprayer:
I usually have one filled with 90% solution of isopropyl alcohol
(didn't that nigt) from the drug store. Any reason this isn't a
feasible deicing solution to use if I were departing, say, in daytime?

On 26 Dec 2003 13:46:48 -0800, (Snowbird)
wrote:

buying a gallon of de-icing solution and spraying down the leading
edges (w/ C172 obviously borrowing a ladder would be necessary).

Only for short people

He made a good decision. Cases of very little ice apparently causing
accidents are documented.

It's better to be on the ground wishing you were up there,
than to be up there wishing you were on the ground.

- John Ousterhout.-

Alcohol will work fine but propylene glycol will stay on longer and melt any
snow that falls between the time you spray it on and the time you takeoff.
Don't use ethylene glycol. It is toxic and you could get into trouble
deliberately leaving puddles of it on the ramp.

Mike
MU-2


"smackey" wrote in message
...
"Mike Rapoport" wrote in message
thlink.net...
It probably would not have sublimated on climb out, sublimation takes a
long
time. You might want to consider filling your garden sprayer with
RV-type
antifreeze as a deicing solution in the winter.

Mike
MU-2

Thanks to all for the feedback. Question on the garden sprayer:
I usually have one filled with 90% solution of isopropyl alcohol
(didn't that nigt) from the drug store. Any reason this isn't a
feasible deicing solution to use if I were departing, say, in daytime?

Now how did an MU-2 Pilot get so interested in ICE??

Kevin
Past MU-2-60 pilot

"Mike Rapoport" wrote in message
ink.net...
Alcohol will work fine but propylene glycol will stay on longer and melt
any
snow that falls between the time you spray it on and the time you takeoff.
Don't use ethylene glycol. It is toxic and you could get into trouble
deliberately leaving puddles of it on the ramp.

Mike
MU-2


"smackey" wrote in message
...
"Mike Rapoport" wrote in message
thlink.net...
It probably would not have sublimated on climb out, sublimation takes
a
long
time. You might want to consider filling your garden sprayer with
RV-type
antifreeze as a deicing solution in the winter.

Mike
MU-2

Thanks to all for the feedback. Question on the garden sprayer:
I usually have one filled with 90% solution of isopropyl alcohol
(didn't that nigt) from the drug store. Any reason this isn't a
feasible deicing solution to use if I were departing, say, in daytime?

Free wrote:

Now how did an MU-2 Pilot get so interested in ICE??

How do you think he got to *be* an MU-2 pilot?

George Patterson
Great discoveries are not announced with "Eureka!". What's usually said is
"Hummmmm... That's interesting...."

We have two houses, one on the east side of the Sierra in Nevada and one in
north Idaho. Both are uncontrolled fields and both get heavy snow. I have
had an inch of snow fall between the time I got in the airplane after
cleaning it and when I had my clearance and was ready to takeoff. When it
is right around 32F I always wonder if the snow will blow off the top of the
wing or if it will freeze solid. Once flying, icing is no problem.

Mike
MU-2


"Free" wrote in message
news
Now how did an MU-2 Pilot get so interested in ICE??

Kevin
Past MU-2-60 pilot

"Mike Rapoport" wrote in message
ink.net...
Alcohol will work fine but propylene glycol will stay on longer and melt
any
snow that falls between the time you spray it on and the time you
takeoff.
Don't use ethylene glycol. It is toxic and you could get into trouble
deliberately leaving puddles of it on the ramp.

Mike
MU-2


"smackey" wrote in message
...
"Mike Rapoport" wrote in message
thlink.net...
It probably would not have sublimated on climb out, sublimation
takes
a
long
time. You might want to consider filling your garden sprayer with
RV-type
antifreeze as a deicing solution in the winter.

Mike
MU-2

Thanks to all for the feedback. Question on the garden sprayer:
I usually have one filled with 90% solution of isopropyl alcohol
(didn't that nigt) from the drug store. Any reason this isn't a
feasible deicing solution to use if I were departing, say, in daytime?