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Pre Flight & Structural Ice

dalec

dalec

GONE WEST
Anchorage and beyond
I was pre-flighting my plane this morning and doing all the usual stuff, while I was pulling the wing and tail covers I had a little ice around the edges to clean off, no big deal, right? Then as I am checking the cowling, oil, gen belt, motor mounts etc, run my hand over the prop and it along with the spinner have about an 1/8" or so of clear rough ice on them. It was enough to make me concerned so I melted it off with a propane torch (not a weed burner)and wiped it dry. Anbody got a better solution, alcohol? Maybe it is time for a prop cover?
 
Pour hot water on it. I wouldn't worry about a small amount of ice. Buy a spinner/blades cover.

Sent from my Android using Tapatalk
 
I wouldn't worry about a small amount either, in this case about 2/3 of the blade was covered in ice. it was enough to cause me a little concern, so I melted it. I think I am going with prop covers.
 
Dalec,

Yes, get a set of propeller blade covers. For one thing, you'll find that those big aluminum blades serve very well as radiators, removing heat directly from the core of your engine. Probably not a huge thing unless you're pre-heating in extreme cold, but it sure can't hurt.

How much heat are you getting to your engine? Generally, the radiation characteristics of the prop tends to keep it clean, but if you had some messy conditions recently it may take a while.

In any case, you won't go wrong putting blade covers on that prop.

MTV
 
Lacking prop covers, a plastic windshield scraper makes short work of prop ice. A credit card or driver's license works better on frost. Ice removal is easier if you've ever been in the habit of waxing the prop or wiping it with Pledge during the summer months. I never start up with frost or ice on my prop or spinner.

Stewart
 
George

No more ground to build a Hangar at PABV... and $125,000 for a T-Hangar???
I might have to do it, but that is enough to buy me a really nice 180 on floats...
 
Careful Mike, I got spanked pretty hard a couple years ago when I mentioned heat transfer through the prop. Didn't change my use of a prop and spinner cover one bit though. I'm still a believer.

If you still had ice on the prop,...what do you figure the temps were in your engine? Also, if there's ice on the prop, I'm always suspicious there might be some pooled on the inside of the spinner.

Jim
 
Ambient air temp was +20 f, oil temp +70 f. The prop and spinner had ice on them from freezing rain. I was able to get the ice off of the uncovered portion of the fuselage , but the prop and spinner had Ice. I ordered prop covers and spinner cover from Linda at Alaska wing covers today.
 
55-PA18A said:
Careful Mike, I got spanked pretty hard a couple years ago when I mentioned heat transfer through the prop. Didn't change my use of a prop and spinner cover one bit though. I'm still a believer.

If you still had ice on the prop,...what do you figure the temps were in your engine? Also, if there's ice on the prop, I'm always suspicious there might be some pooled on the inside of the spinner.

Jim
Click to expand...

Jim,

Who cares? You're right, there is heat transfer through the prop. Is it a huge deal? Probably not, but I've put a thermometer in the cowl overnight in FYU when it was "FYU cold", and insulated prop covers make a difference. Fly something with a constant speed prop, and that prop will cycle a LOT more gracefully the first time on a frosty morn as well.

MTV
 
I remember reading an article that tested the theory of the prop being a heat dissipator. The article's conclusion was that the prop covers made no difference to preheating the engine. I use them and admit I can't feel any warmth in the prop blades or hub when stripping the covers after heating electrically. The results are different when heating with a hot air blower but covers aren't what makes the difference. Like lots of "tests" reported in magazines I'd think the test could be made to support whatever conclusion the tester favored. I figure my covers keep the prop and spinner ice free and if nothing else the spinner cover helps seal that big hole where cold air can get into the cowl. It's probably not a big deal but it can't hurt, right? As for cycling a constant speed? By the time I cycle my prop the engine is well warmed from running in the tie-down let alone taxiing to position. I can't say I've ever noticed a difference I could attribute to prop covers being installed during preheat.

Anyone else notice that Reiff now offers an oil cooler heater? Interesting.

SB
 
Last edited:
Makes me think of these new balancers that place the balance washers on the spinner screws. Its my understanding that some PT-6s are tied down so one blade is vertical, down so that water/ice will not accumulate in the spinner. Who knows how long ice will stay stuck on, but I've seen it stick for a long time on unprotected parts of jet airplanes.
 
Natural Prop Covers

Coyotes.jpg
 
clubum dogum,

I love it!!!!

One other check when flying in freeze thaw rain snow crap: check you scat hose between your exhaust and your air box... if it thaws and water runs in....
 
You should kill those 'yotes before you "mount" em. The one on the right looks to be in serious pain!
 
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