It’s been a long time coming, but Cessna’s speediest single-engine piston airplane, the all-composite, high performance TTx, which was developed out of the Columbia 400, has achieved a sign-off from the FAA that allows its pilots to fly in known icing conditions. The approval for flight into known icing, or FIKI for short, was achieved with the TKS weeping wing system, which provides up to 2.5 hours of anti-ice protection, Textron Aviation said.
The TKS system prevents and removes ice through the application of a glycol-based fluid that is sprayed through micro-sized holes in the titanium-covered leading edges of the wings. When in use, the system also sprays the solution on the prop and windshield.
