Why do Caravans suck in ice?

[freighthumper]

Im not saying its legal..but mop and glow works as good as ice-x

 

[skydivinguy]

Pig in the ice

There's some funny stuff in this thread. heated pod? Only by the exhaust pipe!

All the Vans equipped for flight in known icing are now required to have the pod and gear leg boots installed (not to mention a nifty little handhold for you guys to feel the wing for ice). Also, 500 lb. gross wt. reduction in ice.

The AD is out and 120 days to have all that crap installed.

Of course, a BIG box hauling company has had the pod and gear boots for years now and they have lost several since in the ice.

The van is a great airplane in nice weather. It isn't in the s*#t!

maybe it would be good with that Garrett engine conversion.

 

[fokkers&beer]

Skydivingguy knows what hes talking about. He knows all things about Caravans, I worked with him when I flew them.
As far as speed goes, the Caravan from what I remember, we would file around 160 knots. Thats the same speed as my old Beech would go, and that aircraft could haul ice like few other recip airplanes.
From what I recall, thats a pretty common airspeed (seems like 402's are around that fast, senecas, lots light twins). The speed isn't the big key to the solution.
An interesting thing was the Caravan was one of two airplanes that when you would blow the boots, you would get these cool vertical shrouds of ice. The other aircraft I have flown that did this was the ATR, that was cruising somewhere around 250kts, and that airplanes another real piece of work that I'm glad I'm not flying anymore.

 

[RoughAir]

Caboclo:
Good summary. The Van has been out there now for a long time and I would think those icing problems would have manifested itself a while back. Now the FAA is interested in more ADs. I know the FAA is good at "reacting" instead of "proacting", but it just seemed to me that this next round of ADs/mods is a quick reaction to something no one knew about the airplane.

 

[FN FAL]

some people just don't learn until they get the shoot scared outta them by taking a plane somewhere it aint supposed to go......

There's pilots and then there's bureaucratic aircraft administrators. If you're the former, you know when to say when. If you're the latter, you're probably better off in something where you can't hurt yourself or others.

 

[Caboclo]

Fokkers&beer, can you elaborate on those "vertical shrouds of ice" please? Are you talking about bridging?

 

[Launchpad]

Horizontal pieces of ice break off, turn 90 degrees and freeze in the vertical position back on the boot. It's pretty odd, it looks like the airspeed would just break it off. I've never seen that on any other aircraft like that.

 

[Bringupthebird]

Why not just yank it's icing certification? Heck one prop deice mat failure and you'd be forced to reduce power to keep the engine from shaking itself to pieces and maybe keep you from maintaining the 125kts. Of course Meridians, PC12's and TBM700's would all have the same problem, potentially.

 

[fokkers&beer]

As far as the vertical shrouds of ice Launchpad got that one right on. Its kind of strange to see it, but most people I have talked to who have flown Caravans know exactly what I mean.
I've never really talked ATR's with people, to me its kind of like a moped. I'm kind of embarrassed to admit that I have a type rating and a few hundered hours in them. D*!n those french and there airplanes anyhow.

 

[starcheck208]

I know what you mean about the vertical ice. It looks like it's barley hanging on and that i should fly off. No matter how many times you cycle the boots, it doesn't come off