Either it’s really early for next winter, or really late for last winter, but the FAA has issued a notice of proposed rulemaking that would disallow pilots from taking off with so-called “polished frost” on their aircraft’s wings. Part of the reason is the ambiguity of when frost can be considered smooth enough to be safe. The FAA had previously recommended that manufacturers propose procedures for smoothing frost on their aircraft’s wings, but no manufacturers had done so. The FAA action implies that the agency has determined that even smooth, polished frost presents too great a risk. The proposed rule would apply to airline operations under Part 125, for-hire flights under Part 135 and some private flights under Part 91.
‘Polished Frost’ Not Okay, After All, Under Proposed FAA Rule
Key Takeaways:
- The FAA has proposed a new rule to prohibit pilots from taking off with "polished frost" on aircraft wings.
- This decision is due to the ambiguity of what constitutes safely smooth frost and a lack of manufacturer-proposed procedures for it.
- The FAA now considers even smooth, polished frost to present an unacceptably high risk for flight operations.
- The proposed rule would apply to airline (Part 125), for-hire (Part 135), and certain private (Part 91) flights.
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