Welcome back to another Easy Aviation English video.
Since many of us are experiencing the cold weather during these winter months
I thought this would be a great opportunity to talk about cold weather operations
and specifically the de-icing process.
I’ll be describing this photo as if I was taking the ICAO English Exam.
But before I start just take a moment to look over this photo.
What are some words and phrases you would use to describe this scene?
Alright, in this photo I see an aircraft that’s being de-iced prior to departure.
The purpose is to ensure that the aircraft and its critical surfaces
are free of any contamination. There are Four trucks and each one
is parked at a separate corner of the airplane. Each truck has a lift and at the top of the lift
there is a specially trained employee spraying a de-icing fluid onto the aircraft.
I can see that at least two of these employees are wearing a reflective vest
which makes them more visible to anyone else on the ramp.
Now let's look at the aircraft. The airplane at the center of this photo
appears to be a transport category aircraft
possibly a Boeing 737 or Airbus A320 so the chances are that it’s carrying
either passengers or cargo. It also looks like this aircraft
was just pushed back from the gate. Not only is the airplane still
connected to the tug via the tow-bar but I can clearly see the tire marks
left in the snow from the main wheels when it was pushed back.
However, I don’t think the airplane is chalked because I see a few pairs of wheel chalks
sitting on the tug just behind where the driver is seated.
In the background I can see that the sky is overcast and the visibility is quite low.
This is probably due to the snowfall which appears to be moderate to heavy in intensity.
I also wouldn’t be surprised if the local METAR reported low ceilings as well.
Now, why is getting de-iced so important?
Well, the reason an airplane gets de-iced is to remove and prevent
any ice accumulation at least until the aircraft reaches the climb phase of flight.
In this photo the aircraft will receive two applications of de-icing fluid.
The first type will melt and remove any existing snow and ice.
Now, since it’s actively snowing a second type of de-icing fluid
will be applied to prevent any ice from adhering to the aircraft.
During this process the de-ice team will pay special attention
to removing snow and ice from the aircraft’s critical surfaces.
These critical surfaces include the upper surface of the wing,
both horizontal and vertical stabilizers as well as certain instrument probes and sensors.
These are basically the parts of the airplane that would
negatively affect aircraft's performance if there was any contamination.
Let's talk about the de-icing process. Now before getting de-iced, the pilots must decide
which type of de-icing fluids will be required and that will depend on the
local weather conditions. The flight crew will then put in
their request with the de-ice team. After the aircraft is properly
configured the de-ice team will then begin the de-icing process.
Once that’s complete a member of the de-ice team will inspect the
aircraft to verify that it’s free of contaminants and then notify the flight crew.
The pilots will then re-configure the aircraft and continue taxiing to the runway.
If I was the captain on this flight, what would be some special considerations?
Well, if I was the captain on this flight, I would pay special attention while taxiing.
Clearly the ramp has not yet been plowed
and there’s still plenty of snow on the ground. Therefore I would be extra cautious especially
while steering the aircraft and operating the brakes.
I would also consider making a passenger announcement if I expected any delays.
I would say something like “Ladies and gentlemen this the captain speaking.
Since safety is our number one priority we will be getting de-iced.
In doing so, we will be slightly delayed for departure.
Thank you for your patience and understanding. If I expect any more delays
I’ll be sure to let you know.” So that wraps up my description of this photo.
What other details did you notice that weren’t mentioned?
Write it in the comments below. And If you liked this short video
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