COLD WEATHER OPERATIONS

Frozen contamination from cold weather conditions can be very detrimental to aircraft safety. Aircraft must be cleared of, and remain free from, frozen contaminants while the aircraft is still on the ground. This article examines the causes of ground ice and how aircraft can remain clear of frozen contaminants right up to take-off. It is important that de-icing/anti-icing be performed at the latest possible moment, since the anti-icing spraying has a limited effectiveness time and delays could require repeating the de-icing/anti-icing process. Although de-icing/anti-icing can be achieved through a variety of methods, good communication between aircraft operators, ground-handling agencies, airfield operations and air traffic control is essential to the effort.