Cold soak effect a320
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 487
Likes: 42
From: Doha
Cold soak effect a320
Many years ago, I used to fly 737-800s for a UK tour operator. We had a recommendation that we did not tanker fuel to land above 5400 kgs (2700 kgs each wing) as there was a chance of a cold soaking effect, meaning a possible need to de ice. Does anyone use similar procedures or recommendations for your aircraft type particularly the A320 which is what I now operate.
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 991
Likes: 128
From: big green wheely bin
Yep, don’t land with more than 6000kgs if the flying time is greater than an hour. It’s not a limitation, and I think any reference to it has been removed from the fcoms. However, it’s still in our company manuals as advice.
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 991
Likes: 128
From: big green wheely bin
This is the actual section from the manual:
Ice accumulation due cold soak.
Should the Commander consider that this may be a factor when considering the duration of
the flight and ambient conditions, the following guidelines are recommendations to avoid
this possibility. Recommended landing fuel to avoid cold soaked induced icing:
A321 6000kgs
Its not a limitation, it’s a recommendation.
Ice accumulation due cold soak.
Should the Commander consider that this may be a factor when considering the duration of
the flight and ambient conditions, the following guidelines are recommendations to avoid
this possibility. Recommended landing fuel to avoid cold soaked induced icing:
A321 6000kgs
Its not a limitation, it’s a recommendation.
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 4,569
Likes: 1
From: Florida
Many years ago, I used to fly 737-800s for a UK tour operator. We had a recommendation that we did not tanker fuel to land above 5400 kgs (2700 kgs each wing) as there was a chance of a cold soaking effect, meaning a possible need to de ice. Does anyone use similar procedures or recommendations for your aircraft type particularly the A320 which is what I now operate.
I am not aware of a safety issue during the inflight phase (probably due to the rarity of encountering water particles etc and the formation of the resulting thin ice on non-critical surfaces including self-sheddings at high airspeeds)
However should one encounter near freezing icing conditions on-the-ground The cold soaked fuel may affect dispatch of the flight and will probably result in a larger sheds during rotation.
All this can be countered by requring a more diligent inspection for ice on a tankering aircraft if near freezing conditions exist at that airport at the time..
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 510
Likes: 51
From: A stones throw away...
To minimise the chance of the dreaded ice T on the 320 it’s best to land with no more than 5000kgs ... I try and keep it to 4.5T max on landing.
Even that doesn’t work everyime, it depends on the environmentals.
TS
Even that doesn’t work everyime, it depends on the environmentals.
TS
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 4,704
Likes: 589
From: 500 miles from Chaikhosi, Yogistan
Even that doesn’t work everyime, it depends on the environmentals.
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 118
Likes: 1
From: Geneva
The problem is for a long flight with the fuel in the wings becoming very subzeo. You can then land in even tropical conditions and have ice on the top of the wings. And certain places have no deicing. So you vave to wait for the fuel to become positive or the sun to shine. I fly the T7 and landing with more than 20 tonnes in a tropical country would put you in the above case. (And imagine deicing in HAV or BZV...)
