If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
How fast does the skin of the airplane cool to surrounding temperatures?
A question for those of you more adept at chemistry/physics than I: How
fast does the aluminum skin of the standard single engine GA aircraft take to cool to surrounding air temperatures? For example, how long would it take for the skin to cool from a heated hangar at 65 degrees F to outside air at 20 degrees F? This is my first winter where my airplane sits at my destination airport (Buffalo, NY) all week in a heated hangar. The problem I just inherited is that if I desire to depart during a lake effect snowfall event, falling snow could melt on the wings and fuselage and then turn to ice. -- Peter |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
How fast does the skin of the airplane cool to surrounding temperatures?
Except for integral fuel tanks, where warm fuel is in
contact with the skin, the aluminum skin will be below freezing in a matter of less than a minute. The warm hanger will have the airplane ice free and all the weep holes should drain, but if there is snow falling, spray it with glycol with a rich enough mixture to keep the surface ice free for the expected take-off delay. Even better, don't take-off in the blizzard, wait for the snow to stop and the taxi and runways to be plowed. "Peter R." wrote in message ... |A question for those of you more adept at chemistry/physics than I: How | fast does the aluminum skin of the standard single engine GA aircraft take | to cool to surrounding air temperatures? For example, how long would it | take for the skin to cool from a heated hangar at 65 degrees F to outside | air at 20 degrees F? | | This is my first winter where my airplane sits at my destination airport | (Buffalo, NY) all week in a heated hangar. The problem I just inherited | is that if I desire to depart during a lake effect snowfall event, falling | snow could melt on the wings and fuselage and then turn to ice. | | -- | Peter |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
How fast does the skin of the airplane cool to surrounding temperatures?
Jim Macklin wrote:
Thanks, Jim. Even better, don't take-off in the blizzard, wait for the snow to stop and the taxi and runways to be plowed. Only when accompanied by winds of about 25mph or stronger would I consider lake effect snowfall a blizzard-like condition. There are many of these events where the winds are not so strong as to blow snow across the runways and taxiways at a rate where the plows at these two commercial airports (my home and my destination airports) cannot keep up. -- Peter |
#4
|
|||
|
|||
How fast does the skin of the airplane cool to surrounding temperatures?
On Fri, 8 Dec 2006 10:18:23 -0500, "Peter R."
wrote: A question for those of you more adept at chemistry/physics than I: How fast does the aluminum skin of the standard single engine GA aircraft take to cool to surrounding air temperatures? For example, how long would it take for the skin to cool from a heated hangar at 65 degrees F to outside air at 20 degrees F? This is my first winter where my airplane sits at my destination airport (Buffalo, NY) all week in a heated hangar. The problem I just inherited is that if I desire to depart during a lake effect snowfall event, falling snow could melt on the wings and fuselage and then turn to ice. The wings and tail will very quickly go to ambient air temperature, I would guess in 1-2 minutes. I keep my plane in a 55deg heated hangar, and have pulled it outside, and departed during a few light snows. I have not yet had a problem with the 'warm' wings melting the snow and causing ice droplets. Unless the flakes are very wet/heavy, I doubt you really need to worry about this scenario. Of course, if the flakes are wet/heavy, then perhaps it is not a good day for flying anyway... |
#5
|
|||
|
|||
How fast does the skin of the airplane cool to surrounding temperatures?
Peter R. writes:
A question for those of you more adept at chemistry/physics than I: How fast does the aluminum skin of the standard single engine GA aircraft take to cool to surrounding air temperatures? For example, how long would it take for the skin to cool from a heated hangar at 65 degrees F to outside air at 20 degrees F? Nor more than a couple of minutes. Aluminum is an excellent conductor of heat. This is my first winter where my airplane sits at my destination airport (Buffalo, NY) all week in a heated hangar. The problem I just inherited is that if I desire to depart during a lake effect snowfall event, falling snow could melt on the wings and fuselage and then turn to ice. If the wings are cold enough to freeze water, falling snow won't melt on them. I suppose that if snow fell on the wing while it was still above freezing, it might freeze into ice as the wing cooled, but since the wing will cool so quickly and since ice is hard to melt, I don't know that this would be much of a problem. -- Transpose mxsmanic and gmail to reach me by e-mail. |
#6
|
|||
|
|||
How fast does the skin of the airplane cool to surrounding temperatures?
Mxsmanic wrote: Peter R. writes: A question for those of you more adept at chemistry/physics than I: How fast does the aluminum skin of the standard single engine GA aircraft take to cool to surrounding air temperatures? For example, how long would it take for the skin to cool from a heated hangar at 65 degrees F to outside air at 20 degrees F? On a clear night the skin temperature can go BELOW the air temperature due to the radiation losses into space. We regularly see that here, and it's what causes frost to form so quickly. Dan |
#7
|
|||
|
|||
How fast does the skin of the airplane cool to surrounding temperatures?
The NASA online icing course addressed part of this question: http://aircrafticing.grc.nasa.gov/courses.html Peter R. wrote: A question for those of you more adept at chemistry/physics than I: How fast does the aluminum skin of the standard single engine GA aircraft take to cool to surrounding air temperatures? For example, how long would it take for the skin to cool from a heated hangar at 65 degrees F to outside air at 20 degrees F? This is my first winter where my airplane sits at my destination airport (Buffalo, NY) all week in a heated hangar. The problem I just inherited is that if I desire to depart during a lake effect snowfall event, falling snow could melt on the wings and fuselage and then turn to ice. -- Peter |
#8
|
|||
|
|||
How fast does the skin of the airplane cool to surrounding temperatures?
Just remember the snow on the wing does not blow off during
take-off. Moderate snow is snow with the visibility reduced to not less than 1/2 mile, which is low IFR. "Peter R." wrote in message ... | Jim Macklin wrote: | | Thanks, Jim. | | Even better, don't take-off in the blizzard, wait for the | snow to stop and the taxi and runways to be plowed. | | Only when accompanied by winds of about 25mph or stronger would I consider | lake effect snowfall a blizzard-like condition. There are many of these | events where the winds are not so strong as to blow snow across the runways | and taxiways at a rate where the plows at these two commercial airports (my | home and my destination airports) cannot keep up. | | -- | Peter |
#9
|
|||
|
|||
How fast does the skin of the airplane cool to surrounding temperatures?
|
#10
|
|||
|
|||
How fast does the skin of the airplane cool to surrounding temperatures?
Dan, it's not an important point, but from the physics/theromdynamics
side of the issue, the top surface of the wing is really at risk of radiational cooling. The wing's leading edge's shape would allow convective warming, as the warmer air in contact with the surface would cool and flow downward. |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Homebuilt Aircraft Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) | Ron Wanttaja | Home Built | 0 | May 1st 04 07:29 PM |
Homebuilt Aircraft Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) | Ron Wanttaja | Home Built | 0 | April 5th 04 03:04 PM |
Homebuilt Aircraft Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) | Ron Wanttaja | Home Built | 2 | February 2nd 04 11:41 PM |
Homebuilt Aircraft Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) | Ron Wanttaja | Home Built | 1 | January 2nd 04 09:02 PM |
Homebuilt Aircraft Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) | Ron Wanttaja | Home Built | 0 | October 2nd 03 03:07 AM |