ASTF Icing Capabilities

Under existing FAA and JAA certification regulations, an airplane must demonstrate the ability to operate safely in a wide range of icing conditions. Engine icing occurs as aircraft fly through clouds of supercooled liquid water droplets. The water droplets impact the forward facing surfaces of the aircraft and the engine and, when the heat of fusion of the liquid water is removed from the surface, the small water droplets freeze. Ice adhering to airfoil surfaces will distort the airflow and lead to altered performance of the airfoil. In turbine engines and inlets, ice collection can eventually, sometimes in a matter of a few minutes, alter or block enough airflow to cause engine operability problems.