Flight In Icing

[Bruised Armpit]

So, this is a question for you guy over there on the rock.

Your SuperKittys are certified for flight into known icing conditions, as I understand it. What are your limitations with these ops? Does anything go, as far as forcast icing? What to you do about the potential for airframe icing, as only your critical surfaces and engines are protected?

 

Thanks,

 

Bruised Armpit

[CTD]

Stunning lack of response.

[Oryxs]

The only restriction is flight in either light freezing drizzle or freezing rain. No restriction on flight in icing conditions eg in cloud. I know the guys will usually try and get out of it if the ice built-up gets to severe.

[CTD]

Yes, the infamous SuperKitty intake shot. Bravo. You guys be careful out there - Mother Nature hasn't shown you all her stuff yet, and nobody knows what droplet size there things were 'certified' in.

[RDM]

Sorry I could not respond myself, had the puter in for a 1200 hour at the local shop. Which brings me to the topic of money, a good AME, one you trust with your life every day is probably making 25 to 30 bucks a hour, while the computer (tape on glasses) nerd that just twittled with my laptop for two hours charged me 75 bucks a hour................ jeeeeeeeeez

 

Anyway Bruised, as Oryxs stated, we can not depart if there is actuall freezing drizzle or rain. Altough once it cloud, the amount of precip we are allowed to operate in is not defined.

Forecasts.......we can depart with "icing" in the forecast for our departure aerodrome, our destination, but NOT our alternate. You must have a way out. Once at your destination there must be no actual icing.

Not to get long winded but alot of times a observer must report freezing drizzle if there is moisture in the air and the temperature is negative 0, but there is actually not freezing drizzle sticking his "gauge". Apparently this has something to do with the system were the data is entered, a obsever can not over rule this portion of the system. So what we do is actually get a pirep from a landing aircraft or we can make one ourselves idicating that no ice is forming and continue.

 

The deicing system uses heated m/r baldes t/r blades and heated inlet matts. The horizontal stab is the same as you would see on say a Dash or Twinotter. The system works very well and has several redundencies, airframe ice is often discussed but never seems of much of a concern. Although we are very diligent when comming out of a area of icing and landing on the helidecks, informing all involved of the ice on the frame.

 

As CTD said, I am sure Momma Nature has something left, and my eyes have bugged out on more then one occasion, but, the system works. And the guys who put the package together for the Grand Banks did a outstanding job. We have been given all the neccesary tools to do our job, and do it safely. :up:

[Bruised Armpit]

Thanks for the responses. My questions were answered.

 

As CTD says, do take be careful out there!

 

Later

 

B.A.