No Anti ice on the tail?
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: on the bridge
Posts: 68
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
No Anti ice on the tail?
Hi all,
Can anyone tell me why aircraft do not need anti ice on the fin and horizontal stabilizer? The LE of the wings and engines need it, so why not the tail?
Cheers
jau
Can anyone tell me why aircraft do not need anti ice on the fin and horizontal stabilizer? The LE of the wings and engines need it, so why not the tail?
Cheers
jau
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Mahlangeni
Posts: 204
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Not all A/C are the same with regards to airframe anti/de-icing.
Jets and Props are quite different too.
Non-critical LIFT devices don't need anti-icing (AI). For example the A320 (like you probably noticed) only has wing/engine anti-icing (WAI/EAI). The tail is not critical.
On all A/C the vertical stabiliser will probably never be anti-iced (to my knowlegde).
Most T-tail A/C will have anti-icing on the horizontal stabiliser. Here the lift device is more critical to flight.
Then the smaller the aircraft is, (thinner wing profile & slower models) the more critical it is to ice build-up.
It also depends on how the tail-plane/elevtor is actuated (hydraulic or servo tabs).
With servo tabs, things become critical with ice build up, to such an extent that safety is compromised if not kept clean of ice.
That's when you get severe pitch oscilations.
Just a few thoughts.
Jets and Props are quite different too.
Non-critical LIFT devices don't need anti-icing (AI). For example the A320 (like you probably noticed) only has wing/engine anti-icing (WAI/EAI). The tail is not critical.
On all A/C the vertical stabiliser will probably never be anti-iced (to my knowlegde).
Most T-tail A/C will have anti-icing on the horizontal stabiliser. Here the lift device is more critical to flight.
Then the smaller the aircraft is, (thinner wing profile & slower models) the more critical it is to ice build-up.
It also depends on how the tail-plane/elevtor is actuated (hydraulic or servo tabs).
With servo tabs, things become critical with ice build up, to such an extent that safety is compromised if not kept clean of ice.
That's when you get severe pitch oscilations.
Just a few thoughts.
Join Date: Aug 1999
Location: Too Far North
Posts: 1,106
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
On all A/C the vertical stabiliser will probably never be anti-iced (to my knowlegde).
The 146 has a sort of de iced fin since the pipe to the tailplane runs up the inside of the leading edge.
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Mahlangeni
Posts: 204
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I am glad that I learned something new today. Thank you Flap40 
But I still think that a PA34 does NOT have ANTI-ice, more likely de-ice boots.
But I still think that a PA34 does NOT have ANTI-ice, more likely de-ice boots.
Last edited by square leg; 29th Apr 2004 at 19:59.
