Poll..."How Much Frost?"

[Lead Sled]

Pledge is great because it's basically a cheap wax.

Used to use Lemon Pledge on sailplane canopies. It worked well and then there was that refreshing lemony scent.

However, depending upon the age of your boots, you may not want to put anything on them that would void the warranty. The factory approved boot conditioners are still probably the best bet for extended boot life.

'Sled

 

[JAFI]

Mar, Some spray waxes work on a non heated windshield. Be careful using non aviation products on aircraft. They are not designed or certified for aircraft use.

Do not confuse ice-x with rain-x. Rain-x is flamable and is not certified to be used in an aircraft application.

Also some de-ice boots are certified for flight into known iceing with ice-x on them. Using spray wax or rain-x could get you into legal trouble.

JAFI

 

[mar]

Points taken

Mar, Some spray waxes work on a non heated windshield.

Yeah, good advice (and I always confuse Rain-X with IceX)...but the original question was from a flight instruction standpoint so I assumed small single engine pistons with *no* heated windscreens.

I only used Pledge on the single engine Cessnas I flew.

I also totally agree with the treatment of boots. A mechanic I once talked to explained that applying too much of the stuff over time will deteriorate the rubber material of the boot.

So, it's a fine line of having a nice waxy boot where the ice slides right off and helping maintain those same boots in a really elastic condition over years and years...

Just another judgement call in a long list....

 

[FN FAL]

The multi-million-dollar question: What would the accident report read?

Also, are we talking about holdover times, or just frost/ice removal? Big difference. If I remember previous ops specs, you cannot use some deicing fluids on airplanes with VR less than 100kts or so. This is for reasons previously stated: The fluid is thick enough to disrupt the airflow of an airplane becoming airborne at a lower speed, just as much as frost/ice might.

C

No, holdover time was not the issue and yes, we use a deice/anti-ice takeoff procedure; No flaps for takeoff and 100 knots rotation speed.

 

[BD King]

No, holdover time was not the issue and yes, we use a deice/anti-ice takeoff procedure; No flaps for takeoff and 100 knots rotation speed.

God. That means you rotate at cruise.

 

[paulsalem]

What do you frieight (pistons and caravans) pilots do when you the plane sits for 1/2 or longer at night?

 

[Singlecoil]

It all depends on the temperature and the weather.

Wing covers are a pain to put on, but are worth it if the temp. is going to be near freezing. Any sort of freezing precip on the wing is a much bigger pain to deal with than wing covers.

If it is going to be cold, 20-25 F or below, I would just tie it down and let it sit. Show up early with a broom and sweep it smooth or polish it smooth as the feds would say. The colder it is, the easier the frost sweeps off.
That was for 207's, 402's, and 99's.

 

[paulsalem]

I've tried to rub it off of low wing trainers, and as fast as you get it off it reforms. How will a broom take it off? Maybe an ice scraper from your car, but I'd be worried about runing the paint.

 

[FN FAL]

God. That means you rotate at cruise.

Yes, and quit calling me God. Unless you u use a little 'g'. (kind of an 'airplane' reference)

It's all relative dude...rotate at a hundred, rotate a hundred twenty, rotate at a hundred twenty five...hell, I bet if I had GI Joe with lifelike hair and Kung Fu grip in my flight bag, he'd not only think it was a fast plane, but big too. Oh, wait a minute, I do have one in my flight bag...brb