Page 38 - Volume 15 Number 2

Winter flying can be done safely with the proper precautions, procedures and a healthy dose of respect.
warmed in a microwave and pour it over each brake caliper. This will thaw and displace the water.
Any time you will be in IMC with an OAT colder than 40 degrees F, it is smart to have the stall warning and pitot heats on. If you have any reason to believe you will encounter either clouds or precipitation, turn on the prop and windshield heats, too. In order to avoid the extra drain on the charging system, I recommend turning on the deice/ anti-ice equipment when taking the runway for takeoff. After takeoff, consider leaving the gear down with the tires spinning a little longer than normal to help remove any snow.
Most aircraft have a minimum climb speed in icing conditions.
36 • ­TWIN & TURBINE
Know what yours is and live by it. The higher climb speed keeps the ice from forming on the underside of the wing. Avoid the temptation to climb steeply to “get out of it quicker.” This only puts you into a position where you have ice on the plane and are closer to the stall speed and attitude. Combined with the fact that the plane will stall at a higher speed than normal now and you don’t know exactly when or where that will be. Most of the time, you will pass through a band of altitudes where ice will form. Keep track of those altitudes, the type of ice formed and the OAT. After you are out of the ice, advise ATC of these facts.
In cruise, I don’t care if your aircraft is approved for flight in known ice
or not; if you are in anything more than “light” ice, get out of it. Ask ATC for any ice reports ahead, and strongly consider changing altitudes or heading. Waiting to see what happens only severely limits your future options.
If you have a large portion of the trip remaining, consider climbing first. Most of the moisture, and ice, is contained at the tops of the clouds; where you may already be. If you act swiftly, the plane should still be able to climb. If you wait, this option quickly disappears.
For ice to form, it takes a specific set of conditions. If you get out of that set, you get out of the ice. A few thousand feet of altitude can often make all the difference.
FEBRUARY 2011