Objective

Develop the student’s knowledge and understanding of the aircraft systems related to instrument flight, including aircraft de-icing and anti-icing systems.

Elements

• Aircraft icing
  • Propeller
  • Airframe
  • Intake
  • Fuel lines
  • Pitot-static
• Electrical system

Schedule

Introduction	05
Main body	25
Application	10
Conclusion	05
Total	45 minutes

Equipment

• model aircraft
• pens, pad of paper
• aircraft standardization manual and operating handbook

Instructor’s Actions

• Discuss the lesson objective
• Pose a question about airframe icing – what do you do?
• Describe effects of icing on aircraft systems
• Evaluate student’s learning by posing review questions throughout and correcting to 100%
• Assign homework for next briefing

Student’s Actions

• Prepare for the briefing by reading Instrument Flying Handbook chapter 11
• Practice flight maneuvers in flight simulator
• Participate with discussion, taking notes throughout

Completion Standards

The lesson is complete when the student can demonstrate an understanding of aircraft systems and the effects instrument flight can cause, through oral quizzing and explanation.

Teaching outline

• Grab attention with the story of my 221 course, icing over RDR
  • ice on a warrior – not fun!
  • why do we want to avoid accumulating ice? It’s just frozen water…
• Conditions for icing
  • what makes IFR flight more prone to icing? What, exactly, are clouds?
  • define known icing: visible moisture + freezing temperatures, whether forecast or reported

Aircraft ice protection systems

• Two types:
  • de-ice
  • anti-ice
  • what do you suppose is the difference?
• Three methods:
  • thermal
  • pneumatic
  • chemical
• Practice avoidance
  • fly above or below the clouds, not in them
  • even with anti- or de-icing equipment, we want to avoid using it
  • can occur with temperatures above freezing – +5°C
• Kinds of ice:
  • rime – colder than -15°
  • clear or glaze – 0° to -15°C
  • mixed
• Propeller protection
  • typically thermal, using heated boots
  • chemical also an option – deice fluid is slung outwards from the hub
• Pitot-static protection
  • How will blockages affect instruments?

Icing operations

• If an airframe is covered in ice, how will performance differ?
  • what will be different about the approach?
• When should de-ice equipment be used? Anti-ice?

Other system malfunctions

• Electrical failure
  • review – will our engine quit?
  • how will our ability to operate in the clouds be impacted?
  • will any flight instruments be affected if we lose electrical power?
• Communications or navigation equipment malfunctions
  • covered in detail with a later briefing
  • what are some hardware steps we can take?