Ice on the inside of an aircraft

[Erikk]

Hi all,While flying with a Turkish company some years ago I discovered there was ice forming on the inside of the plane at the side. I reported it to the CC but she told me there was nothing to worry about. I think it was a B-737 or a A-330.Does this happen often and is it normal? I know it's "pretty" cold out there at FL360 but I've never seen it before.

[SNS3Guppy]

It's typically very cold outside the airplane. Where condensation forms and touches a freezing surface, it may also freeze, and there's ice inside the airplane. I've seen ice or frost in the airplane many times. Probably not a big deal.

I spent about a year and a half flying a corporate piaggio around. The door seals in those airplanes seem to be famous for leaking. A common trick used there and in other airplanes was to pour a cup of water slowly into the parting line between the door halves. As it was drawn out through the air leaks by the door seal, it would freeze. We would know about the leaky seal because of the whisteling sound it made, and we'd know when the ice had stopped it because the whistle went away. It only took a few seconds to freeze and plug the leak, worked like a charm, every time.

[G-STAW]

yep, this happens alot of the 737 series, when temperatures are below freezing that is.

Normally ice starts to form under the windows which are directly above the wing,not exactly sure why this happens, but one thinks its something to do with smaller gaps between the outer and inner parts of the fuselarge.

An engineer did say to me it was caused by some parts in the wing framework being exposed to extreme temperatures, which can directly effect parts of the inner fuselarge due to the close proximity of these members to the inner walls.

G-STAW

[Stan Woolley]

I've seen ice on the throttles and other parts inside a King Air 200 freighter where the heating failed (Bleed Air)and it was freezing even on the ground - bloody nearly froze to death!

[j_davey]

ive only ever seen ice twice, once on the floor of the hydraulics bay of a 146 due to a leaking potable water tank.... And there was lots of it! , and also around the fwd cargo door opening of an AZ md82 due to water leaking from 'wet' cargo. Obviously a bad seal on that door.

John.