You Want That With Ice?

While were discussing the various precision approach scenarios, lets think about whats going to happen once weve acquired some airframe ice. The POH probably makes it clear flaps are a big no-no when landing with ice on the airframe. Weve seen the NASA videos on tailplane stalls, so we know, intellectually, that adding any flap deflection at all, or slowing down, could very well jam us into the planet. We fly the ILS flaps-up, at the power setting that nailed the glideslope, until we roll the wheels on the runway.

Editorial Staff

Friday, March 20, 2015 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

Landing with airframe ice requires a flaps-up approach at a constant power setting to prevent dangerous tailplane stalls.
Standard landing habits, such as immediately reducing power and extending flaps after breaking out of clouds, can lead to a catastrophic tail stall if ice is present.
Pilots must practice the correct flaps-up procedure to override ingrained habits and ensure a safe landing when ice has accumulated.

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While we’re discussing the various precision approach scenarios, let’s think about what’s going to happen once we’ve acquired some airframe ice. The POH probably makes it clear flaps are a big no-no when landing with ice on the airframe. We’ve seen the NASA videos on tailplane stalls, so we know, intellectually, that adding any flap deflection at all, or slowing down, could very well jam us into the planet. We fly the ILS flaps-up, at the power setting that nailed the glideslope, until we roll the wheels on the runway.