The Standard Warning

Stop us if youve heard this before: [IMGCAP(1)] This or similar statements appear in training manuals, articles, presentations and even in the FAAs bank of written-test questions. Its said so often that the original source is obscure. I tracked an early reference back to a 1982 FAA Advisory Circular, AC 20-117, Hazards Following Ground Deicing and Ground Operations in Conditions Conducive to Icing, which references regulations established by the Civil Aeronautics Board in 1950. While I hunted…

Editorial Staff

Tuesday, January 19, 2016 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

A widely recognized aviation safety principle, frequently cited in aviation training and regulatory materials, relates to hazards following ground de-icing or operations in icing conditions.
While the exact origin of this statement is obscure, early references can be traced back to a 1982 FAA Advisory Circular and 1950 Civil Aeronautics Board regulations.
The truth and importance of this principle are strongly validated by extensive aerodynamic studies and accident investigations, despite its elusive original source.

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Stop us if you’ve heard this before:

This or similar statements appear in training manuals, articles, presentations and even in the FAA’s bank of written-test questions. It’s said so often that the original source is obscure. I tracked an early reference back to a 1982 FAA Advisory Circular, AC 20-117, “Hazards Following Ground Deicing and Ground Operations in Conditions Conducive to Icing,” which references regulations established by the Civil Aeronautics Board in 1950. While I hunted for the original test data the statement refers to, I found volumes of aerodynamic studies and accident investigations supporting its truth.