For Release: July 25, 2002
Katherine K. Martin
Media Relations Office
Lori J. Rachul
Media Relations Office
Would you know what to do if the airplane was "iced up" and could no longer maintain altitude? This is one situation addressed by the new video, "Icing for General Aviation Pilots."
The just-completed videotape is the third in an "In-Flight Icing" series from NASA's Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, targeted specifically toward general aviation pilots. It presents practical information to help pilots avoid ice, detect ice, minimize exposure and safely exit icing conditions during each phase of flight. The effects of icing on aircraft performance, control upsets (wing and tail stalls) and recovery procedures are also discussed.
"This video takes the viewing pilot through steps to avoid life-endangering situations that may result from ice accretion on the outside of an airplane," said Kurt Blankenship, a research pilot at Glenn.
In the hour-long videotape, a series of realistic scenarios follows two pilots, Rona and Greg, from pre-flight planning through the approach and landing phases of flight. One is piloting a light, twin-engine aircraft with an ice protection system, and the other is piloting a single-engine aircraft without ice protection equipment. Ice accretion imagery captured during NASA and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) wind tunnel and flight tests, animation and interviews are included to illustrate the information presented in the scenarios.
According to Tom Bond, chief of Glenn's Icing Branch, "Not only will this videotape increase pilot awareness and understanding of aircraft icing hazards, it is also an excellent example of a government/industry partnership working together for aviation safety that benefits all of the general flying public."
This videotape was written and produced as a collaborative effort among Glenn, the FAA and the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) Air Safety Foundation.
The first video in the "In-Flight Icing" series for pilots, "Tailplane Icing," provides information about ice-contaminated horizontal stabilizers. This educational video presents a physical description of the tailplane icing problem, symptoms of ice contamination and suggested recovery procedures. This video was produced using insights gained from the NASA/FAA Tailplane Icing Program.
"Icing for Regional & Corporate Pilots," the second in the series, is intended for turboprop aircraft pilots. Various ice protection systems are discussed, along with how ice accumulates on the aircraft and what to look for when icing conditions exist. Additionally presented are effects of ice on both the performance degradation and handling qualities, suggested recovery techniques from roll or pitch upset and finally, the hazard of Supercooled Large Droplets. This second video was written by Glenn's aircraft icing experts, the FAA and the Air Line Pilots Association.
To order videos or for more information about Glenn's Icing Research program, visit:http://icebox.grc.nasa.gov
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