De-icing

In article ,
"Viperdoc" wrote:

TKS deicing fluid is isopropyl alcohol and ethylene glycol (antifreeze). You
can spray it on a plane safely, including plexiglass, landing gear, props,
etc. I've also bought cheaper non aviation stuff from home depot, and mixed
it with hot water and sprayed it on the plane as well, which also works.


What is it you purchase from HD?

Montblack wrote:

Your task - somehow scale up this success story to work for you.

They tried something similar on a school 150 at Kupper about 20 years ago. I
think it involved more like putting it in a heated hangar until things melted.
Worked like a charm -- until they got about 1,000' off the ground. That melted
snow re-froze and welded the ailerons in the neutral position. They made their
way through the pattern by opening doors to turn. When they got down, they stayed.

George Patterson
Coffee is only a way of stealing time that should by rights belong to
your slightly older self.

Use propylene glycol commonly sold as "RV antifreeze" it is non corrosive
and non toxic.

Mike
MU-2


"Kobra" wrote in message
...
Flyers,

I went to fly on Thursday and low and behold my baby was covered with a
half inch of snow and ice. I could brush off the top 1/4 inch of snow,
but the bottom 1/4 inch was ice that was welded to the airframe.

I remembered that an instructor told me back in my primary training, that
you could de-ice a plane with properly diluted anti-freeze bought at an
auto supply and sprayed on with a garden sprayer.

When I asked my A&P he said that "...people use all kinds of crap, but he
didn't recommend any of it because it was bad for the plane. He said it
could eat the paint and ruin rubber. He said even the de-icer that they
make for airplanes is bad for the plane and that he'd never put that
"$hit" on his plane.

Now I'm scared to de-ice my plane. This is all new to me as this is our
first winter out of our hangar. The owner raised the rent in the spring
and we raised our middle finger in defiance. (BTW, I'm going to start a
new thread on this hangar issue...it will be called "What would you pay?")

So how to you all de-ice your planes and are my mechanic's fear justified
on the use of auto anti-freeze?

Kobra

I am curious about it also, and want to know what people who own composite
airplanes do about that nasty ice crust .

How about applying a stream of hot air (a hair drier-type device)?

Please advise!

-- City Dweller

"Kobra" wrote in message
...
Flyers,

I went to fly on Thursday and low and behold my baby was covered with a
half inch of snow and ice. I could brush off the top 1/4 inch of snow,
but the bottom 1/4 inch was ice that was welded to the airframe.

I remembered that an instructor told me back in my primary training, that
you could de-ice a plane with properly diluted anti-freeze bought at an
auto supply and sprayed on with a garden sprayer.

When I asked my A&P he said that "...people use all kinds of crap, but he
didn't recommend any of it because it was bad for the plane. He said it
could eat the paint and ruin rubber. He said even the de-icer that they
make for airplanes is bad for the plane and that he'd never put that
"$hit" on his plane.

Now I'm scared to de-ice my plane. This is all new to me as this is our
first winter out of our hangar. The owner raised the rent in the spring
and we raised our middle finger in defiance. (BTW, I'm going to start a
new thread on this hangar issue...it will be called "What would you pay?")

So how to you all de-ice your planes and are my mechanic's fear justified
on the use of auto anti-freeze?

Kobra

Jay,
No, it is not 'exactly' the procedure that we have used. We use
'hot' not 'super hot' water from the tap. The water only needs to be
warm enough to melt the ice and snow. The bag of 'hot' water typically
rests on the ice/snow layer(not directly on the paint surface) until
it softens and can be pushed off with a squeeze blade. Sudden and
extreme change in temperatures is not good for any material. Very thin
or improperly cured paint would be more sucesptible to crazing
especially if the hot water is sprayed or splashed directly.

Hai Longworth

City Dweller wrote:
I am curious about it also, and want to know what people who own composite
airplanes do about that nasty ice crust .

How about applying a stream of hot air (a hair drier-type device)?

Please advise!

The danger here is that the water will run and refreeze somewhere else.
It is better to mix something with it that won't allow it to refreeze.


Matt

No, it is not 'exactly' the procedure that we have used.

Whew!

I had nightmarish visions of your beautiful new paint sloughing off onto the
tarmac...

;-)

Speaking of which: Where *are* those pix for the Rogues Gallery?
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

I bought the cheapest pink antifreeze ( which I believe is used for filling
outdoor sprinklers, etc. It consisted of ethylene glycol and water, without
the isopropanol, but still does the job as deicing fluid, although I
wouldn't put it in the TKS tank of my plane.

The pink stuff is usually propylene glycol It is sold as "RV antifreeze"
and can be used in drinking water systems and is non corrosive.

Mike
MU-2


"Viperdoc" wrote in message
...
I bought the cheapest pink antifreeze ( which I believe is used for filling
outdoor sprinklers, etc. It consisted of ethylene glycol and water, without
the isopropanol, but still does the job as deicing fluid, although I
wouldn't put it in the TKS tank of my plane.

Viperdoc wrote:
I bought the cheapest pink antifreeze ( which I believe is used for filling
outdoor sprinklers,

Outdoor sprinklers are filled with air in the winter. You must live
down south.