Stacking the Deck

Certification for flight into known icing is expensive. Since most GA airplanes are Sunday drivers the benefit doesnt justify the cost. Instead, airplane manufactures and aftermarket providers may offer pieces of a full system. This piecemeal application of anti-icing or de-icing equipment circumvents the testing requirements while providing a pilot with some additional-if not certified-options. Four methods of anti/de-icing exist: hot air, electrical resistance, liquid and boots.

Key Takeaways:

• Due to the high cost of full certification, General Aviation (GA) aircraft often feature partial, uncertified anti/de-icing systems provided by manufacturers or aftermarket providers.
• Four primary methods of anti/de-icing exist: hot air, electrical resistance, liquid systems, and pneumatic boots.
• Each method has distinct applications, advantages (e.g., common pitot heat via electrical resistance), and disadvantages (e.g., high power draw for electrical, weight for liquid systems), offering pilots additional time to egress icing conditions.

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