Icing problems on Cessna Caravan's

[rags]

The winter in the northern hemisphere had its usual toll on aircraft flying in heave ice.

Several reports surfaced on the ability of the Cessna Caravan to handle ice.

One aircraft stalled at 102 kts in Russia with heavy ice on board

Transport Canada has just brought a communiqué out dealing with ice on the Caravan. Included is the reference

http://www.tsb.gc.ca/en/media/communiques/air/2006/comm_a05c0187.asp

This is very good reading for all of us operating this super aircraft.

I would like to hear from the ppruners if they had incidents with the Van in icing conditions.

[Sir Cumference]

I love the aircraft, personally. I am aware of a SAAF 208 en route to FACT and it picked up ice. The driver was unable to maintain level flight and the aircraft started descending in the soup with 'relatively' high ground underneath. Fortunately the issue resolved itself, if my memory serves me correctly at about FL75. The sweat in the cockpit was reported to be plentiful!

Great aircraft but it seems that it does not mix well with ice, unlike a good Scotch!!

SC

[Mungalui]

Thanks Rags.Never had icing on the baby before but interesting read.
Stalling at 102kts? Ouch!!:sad:
One I am currently flying does not even have de-icing equipment.
Hopefully I dont run into any icing conditions. :\

[Agaricus bisporus]

I seem to recall from the Flight Safety course at Wichita that in the event of icing retain height and trade speed to 105Kts and then trade height to retain 105Kts. Never never go below 105 even if it means ploughing into the ground at that speed. The instructor told us that in trials they had been unable to make the 'van stall at that speed, tho a 3 kt margin is a bit small.

[Exhaust Manifold]

Hey guys, just got a notice from my company they've read a report about the van from the FAA and the new regulations they've applied to icing conditions and have decided to impliment it in the company.

Basically it goes like this:

Minimum speed in icing conditions 120 kts indicated (whether you can maintian S+L or not)

A/c may only be flown into known icing conditions if the icing is light, no medium/heavy icing ops.

When in icing conditions the autopilot will be disengaged

Mangalui read on another forum you flying in west africa, where exactly? I'm in Liberia at the mo.