The Landing: ‘Baby, It’s Cold Outside’

Winter is here, and with it comes frozen precipitation that adheres to aircraft lifting surfaces and the fuselage. FAA advisory guidance states that ice, snow, or frost with merely the thickness and roughness of medium to coarse sandpaper can reduce wing lift by as much as 30 percent and increase drag by 40 percent. A review of FAA recommendations and airline pilot reports submitted to NASA’s Aviation Safety Reporting System reveals some of the common risks that are encountered during aircraft ground deicing and anti-icing operations. Along with adhering to your company’s SOPs, consider the following tips when conducting ground deicing operations:

  • Good two-way communication with the ground crew that is applying fluids and performing a tactile inspection is critical.
  • Remember, not all deicing crews have the same level of training. In many cases, crews are contracted employees.
  • Airport location matters. Workers who are employed at airports that have infrequent winter weather may have less experience.
  • The potential for ramp collisions with ground service equipment increases due to poor surface friction, inadequate lighting, an increase in vehicle traffic on the ramp, and snow-restricted visibility.
  • Exercise good CRM, in accordance with company procedures, by using flight deck and cabin crewmembers to help determine what the ground deicing crews have done, or not done, to your satisfaction.
  • If you have any doubt about your aircraft meeting the standard of the “clean aircraft concept,” take corrective actions in accordance with company procedures.
  • Recognize that there may be operational pressure associated with deicing decisions. Pressure to save money and/or cut costs should not reduce margins of safety.
  • Be aware that the time of effectiveness of deicing and anti-icing fluids is only an estimate; numerous variables can influence actual holdover times.
  • Remember to complete all taxi and before-takeoff checklists to ensure that the aircraft’s takeoff configuration is correct.

This article was originally published in the December 2016 issue of Air Line Pilot.

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