Prospects for the Acquisition of Icing Data from Operational Aircraft
Abstract
Task 131 of the FAA In-Flight Aircraft Icing Plan addresses the possibility of acquiring icing data from operational aircraft. The FAA Working Group 131 investigated two possible approaches for this task. The "icing sensor/downlink approach," which would downlink icing data from existing or enhanced icing sensors on operational aircraft, would benefit from similar successful efforts in downlinking and utilizing other kinds of meteorological data (temperature, winds) from commercial carriers. More recent programs are working toward the downlinking of humidity and in situ turbulence measurements. The downlinked icing data would have multiple uses. It potentially could be uplinked in near real time to other aircraft, enhancing safety by providing frequent and objective icing information as well as accurate location of the icing conditions to pilots of other aircraft. The data could be ingested into operational numerical weather forecast models, ingested into icing diagnosis and forecasting algorithms, and archived for improved, objective assessment of forecast tools and for characterization of the atmospheric icing environment. The "compact integrated icing instrumentation package approach" would entail the installation of a processor and size-reduced liquid water content (LWC) and droplet sizing probes on at least one operational aircraft. The compact integrated icing instrumentation package approach seems more likely to be tried first with a government operational aircraft, either in the U.S. or Canada whose mission requires frequent operation in icing conditions. If instrumented with a compact integrated version of instrumentation currently carried by icing research aircraft, such an aircraft could provide a valuable and voluminous data set for forecast assessment and atmospheric characterization.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 1999
- Accession Number
- ADA370878
Entities
People
- Barbara Brown
- James T. Riley
- Marcia Politovich
- Tenny Lindholm
- Walter Strapp
Organizations
- Federal Aviation Administration