A little history about TKS
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A little history about TKS
According to the article I am reading, TKS stands for Tecalemit-Kilfrost-Sheepbridge Stokes(These days it is owned by CAV Ice Protection in England). The Kilfrost name is certainly still familiar to me.
This is the weeping wing de-icing method where millions of micro-holes in the leading edge allow the fluid to slowly flow out creating a coating to prevent ice formation.
What surprised me was that it was invented by these three companies in 1942 and was used on RAF bombers.
Does anybody know which bombers had this system?
This is the weeping wing de-icing method where millions of micro-holes in the leading edge allow the fluid to slowly flow out creating a coating to prevent ice formation.
What surprised me was that it was invented by these three companies in 1942 and was used on RAF bombers.
Does anybody know which bombers had this system?
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1940s
TKS (Aircraft De-icing) Ltd. was formed in 1942 when Kilfrost succeeded in getting the attention of the appropriate government ministry with the concept that fluid de-icing could provide a much needed solution for protecting RAF bombers. Pneumatic boot de-icers were available at the time and used by the US Air Force on aircraft such as the B-17 but they had a problem in common with the Dunlop system that precluded their use.
TKS (Aircraft De-icing) Ltd. was formed by three companies, each having specific expertise:
T - Tecalemit Ltd. manufactured metering pumps for multi-point lubrication systems. The company designed and produced multi-outlet (6, 10 or 12 outlets depending on the aircraft) metering pumps and filters for the system.
K - Kilfrost Ltd. specialized in de-icing chemicals and were the primary protagonist for the system in the early stages.
S - Sheepbridge Stokes Ltd. produced the newly invented sintered powder metal components. The company manufactured the tubes called de-icing strips.
TKS Ice Protection Systems were first developed for RAF bombers during World War II. While U.S. bombers carried out their bombing missions from 20,000 feet, RAF bombers were designed for low-level operations to obtain better accuracy. Pilots flew sorties at altitudes where the barrage balloon was an effective deterrent. This threat was largely negated by fitting the wings of the aircraft with armoured leading edges that incorporated notches with explosive cable-cutters at several places along the span. But there was an issue. The problem was that pneumatic boots or the Dunlop fabric fluid distributor prevented the cable from sliding along the leading edge into the cable cutter. The solution was provided by TKS, a fluid de-icing system compatible with the armoured leading edges. The first systems were crude, porous channel systems partly made from porous, powdered metal.
The system came into production late in the European war and was installed on aircraft such as Handley Page Halifax, Avro Lincoln and Vickers Wellington bombers. After the war, the TKS strip system was widely used in the UK on the civil derivatives of these aircraft (e.g. Handley Page Hastings, Avro York, Avro Tudor, etc.) together with new designs including De Havilland Dove, Vickers Viking, Vickers Valetta, Vickers Wellington, Bristol Freighter, etc. The Avro Shackleton (Mks I and II) was one of the longest surviving products to use the strip system.
1950s
TKS evolved in the 1950’s when de-icing panels were introduced. The original panels were made from sintered powder metal sheet and initially flight tested on the horizontal stabilizer of a BEA Vickers Viking where improved effectiveness was clearly demonstrated. The Scottish Aviation Twin Pioneer and versions of the Avro Shackleton (Mks III) were fitted with sintered powder panels.
The sintered powder panels proved to be prone to cracking, and the porous powder sheet was replaced by “Rigidmesh” as soon as it appeared on the market. Rigidmesh is made from layers (usually three) of woven stainless steel cloth that are first rolled then sintered to form a porous sheet, having far superior mechanical properties to sintered powder. This material is still used on some legacy products.
1960s
The next milestone came in the 1960s with the arrival of business jets, in particular the de Havilland 125 (D.H. 125). The original Bristol Siddeley Viper turbojet engine had no bleed air for thermal anti-ice, and pneumatic boots were considered aerodynamically unacceptable. At the time, the only fluid de-icing equipment that existed was the first generation strip system design from the 1940s. De Havilland selected TKS, which presented the opportunity for the company to make a system updated and tested to what was then modern standards.
Systems for several European aircraft types were designed and produced over the next decade including Shorts Skyvan, LET L410, Aerospatiale Corvette, VFW 614 and the Westland Sea King.
1970s
In the mid 1970s, TKS became involved with McDonell Douglas in producing an ice and insect contamination system for the NASA Jetstar Laminar Flow Flight Test. This testing lead to the idea of using laser perforated skins for ice protection.
1980s
TKS evolved further in the 1980s when laser-drilled titanium panels were introduced. The Cessna S550 Citation S/II and the T47A were the first application of the titanium panel build that is still used today.
1990s
Known at the time as Aerospace Systems & Technologies (AS&T), CAV Ice Protection acquired TKS in 1990 and started building the leading edge structures of the TKS Ice Protection system. AS&T was incorporated on September 29, 1992 and moved two years later from Annefield Plain Industrial Park to a new, larger location in Consett, County Durham, England.
AS&T was formed to take over the design, testing, certification, sales and distribution duties of TKS Ice Protection systems in the United States. Beginning in January 1990, Jordan-Hawley Engineering, Inc. performed those functions along with their other business which included engineering consulting services and computer software development for aircraft simulators and autopilots. In December of 1992, AS&T acquired Jordan-Hawley Engineering, Inc. and the focus shifted to ice protection systems.
2000s
Following the merger of two sister companies in 2005, Aerospace Systems & Technologies changed its name to CAV Aerospace.
2010s
In 2012, CAV Aerospace received funding from the third round of the Regional Growth Fund to create 78 new jobs.
To expand on growth opportunities, CAV Aerospace North American Operations Center moved from Salina, Kansas to the New Century AirCenter (KIXD) in New Century, Kansas, a suburb of Kansas City, on April 2, 2013.
In September of 2014, CAV Aerospace received FAA approval to operate a repair station at CAV Aerospace North American Operations Center. The limited accessory repair station is approved to repair and overhaul TKS Ice Protection equipment.
In the spring of 2015, CAV Aerospace changed its name to CAV Ice Protection.
TKS Ice Protection Systems are available for the Beechcraft Bonanza and Baron; Mooney M20; Cessna 206, 208, 210, 350, 400, and TTx; Socata TB20 and TB21; Commander Aircraft 114B and 114TC; Piper Saratoga; Cirrus SR22; Aerocommander 500; Diamond DA42; Diamond DA62; KAI KC-100 Naraon; and Quest KODIAK.
TKS (Aircraft De-icing) Ltd. was formed in 1942 when Kilfrost succeeded in getting the attention of the appropriate government ministry with the concept that fluid de-icing could provide a much needed solution for protecting RAF bombers. Pneumatic boot de-icers were available at the time and used by the US Air Force on aircraft such as the B-17 but they had a problem in common with the Dunlop system that precluded their use.
TKS (Aircraft De-icing) Ltd. was formed by three companies, each having specific expertise:
T - Tecalemit Ltd. manufactured metering pumps for multi-point lubrication systems. The company designed and produced multi-outlet (6, 10 or 12 outlets depending on the aircraft) metering pumps and filters for the system.
K - Kilfrost Ltd. specialized in de-icing chemicals and were the primary protagonist for the system in the early stages.
S - Sheepbridge Stokes Ltd. produced the newly invented sintered powder metal components. The company manufactured the tubes called de-icing strips.
TKS Ice Protection Systems were first developed for RAF bombers during World War II. While U.S. bombers carried out their bombing missions from 20,000 feet, RAF bombers were designed for low-level operations to obtain better accuracy. Pilots flew sorties at altitudes where the barrage balloon was an effective deterrent. This threat was largely negated by fitting the wings of the aircraft with armoured leading edges that incorporated notches with explosive cable-cutters at several places along the span. But there was an issue. The problem was that pneumatic boots or the Dunlop fabric fluid distributor prevented the cable from sliding along the leading edge into the cable cutter. The solution was provided by TKS, a fluid de-icing system compatible with the armoured leading edges. The first systems were crude, porous channel systems partly made from porous, powdered metal.
The system came into production late in the European war and was installed on aircraft such as Handley Page Halifax, Avro Lincoln and Vickers Wellington bombers. After the war, the TKS strip system was widely used in the UK on the civil derivatives of these aircraft (e.g. Handley Page Hastings, Avro York, Avro Tudor, etc.) together with new designs including De Havilland Dove, Vickers Viking, Vickers Valetta, Vickers Wellington, Bristol Freighter, etc. The Avro Shackleton (Mks I and II) was one of the longest surviving products to use the strip system.
1950s
TKS evolved in the 1950’s when de-icing panels were introduced. The original panels were made from sintered powder metal sheet and initially flight tested on the horizontal stabilizer of a BEA Vickers Viking where improved effectiveness was clearly demonstrated. The Scottish Aviation Twin Pioneer and versions of the Avro Shackleton (Mks III) were fitted with sintered powder panels.
The sintered powder panels proved to be prone to cracking, and the porous powder sheet was replaced by “Rigidmesh” as soon as it appeared on the market. Rigidmesh is made from layers (usually three) of woven stainless steel cloth that are first rolled then sintered to form a porous sheet, having far superior mechanical properties to sintered powder. This material is still used on some legacy products.
1960s
The next milestone came in the 1960s with the arrival of business jets, in particular the de Havilland 125 (D.H. 125). The original Bristol Siddeley Viper turbojet engine had no bleed air for thermal anti-ice, and pneumatic boots were considered aerodynamically unacceptable. At the time, the only fluid de-icing equipment that existed was the first generation strip system design from the 1940s. De Havilland selected TKS, which presented the opportunity for the company to make a system updated and tested to what was then modern standards.
Systems for several European aircraft types were designed and produced over the next decade including Shorts Skyvan, LET L410, Aerospatiale Corvette, VFW 614 and the Westland Sea King.
1970s
In the mid 1970s, TKS became involved with McDonell Douglas in producing an ice and insect contamination system for the NASA Jetstar Laminar Flow Flight Test. This testing lead to the idea of using laser perforated skins for ice protection.
1980s
TKS evolved further in the 1980s when laser-drilled titanium panels were introduced. The Cessna S550 Citation S/II and the T47A were the first application of the titanium panel build that is still used today.
1990s
Known at the time as Aerospace Systems & Technologies (AS&T), CAV Ice Protection acquired TKS in 1990 and started building the leading edge structures of the TKS Ice Protection system. AS&T was incorporated on September 29, 1992 and moved two years later from Annefield Plain Industrial Park to a new, larger location in Consett, County Durham, England.
AS&T was formed to take over the design, testing, certification, sales and distribution duties of TKS Ice Protection systems in the United States. Beginning in January 1990, Jordan-Hawley Engineering, Inc. performed those functions along with their other business which included engineering consulting services and computer software development for aircraft simulators and autopilots. In December of 1992, AS&T acquired Jordan-Hawley Engineering, Inc. and the focus shifted to ice protection systems.
2000s
Following the merger of two sister companies in 2005, Aerospace Systems & Technologies changed its name to CAV Aerospace.
2010s
In 2012, CAV Aerospace received funding from the third round of the Regional Growth Fund to create 78 new jobs.
To expand on growth opportunities, CAV Aerospace North American Operations Center moved from Salina, Kansas to the New Century AirCenter (KIXD) in New Century, Kansas, a suburb of Kansas City, on April 2, 2013.
In September of 2014, CAV Aerospace received FAA approval to operate a repair station at CAV Aerospace North American Operations Center. The limited accessory repair station is approved to repair and overhaul TKS Ice Protection equipment.
In the spring of 2015, CAV Aerospace changed its name to CAV Ice Protection.
TKS Ice Protection Systems are available for the Beechcraft Bonanza and Baron; Mooney M20; Cessna 206, 208, 210, 350, 400, and TTx; Socata TB20 and TB21; Commander Aircraft 114B and 114TC; Piper Saratoga; Cirrus SR22; Aerocommander 500; Diamond DA42; Diamond DA62; KAI KC-100 Naraon; and Quest KODIAK.
