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Old 1st Nov 2017, 02:54
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zippiesdrainage
 
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Idaho
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Question regarding frost and frost accumulation

So I'm hoping to pick a few brains, get some idea of other people's experiences and understanding of frost accumulation on a helicopter. There are a lot of educational sources regarding icing, but not a lot regarding frost and the effect on helicopters as opposed to fixed wing aircraft.


Currently in my area, we're sitting at 32F outside with a dew point of 31F making it about 98% saturated. I've read (fixed wing pilots say) that frost can't form on moving objects, and it's only a danger if the aircraft has frost already accumulated on the surface of an aircraft and only forms on stationary items.
Personally I have a hard time believing that with the wind chill and flying at an altitude where the aircraft is passing through air below freezing and at the same altitude where the temp and dewpoint are matched, that frost wouldn't accumulate. However there's no Icing AIRMET predicting icing conditions, and the skies are clear.


Am I being overly paranoid? If the helicopter is in a heated hangar, would you push it out and fly in these conditions where the temp and dewpoint are matched at just below freezing temperatures?


Any insight would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
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