BeechBoy
New Member
A friend of mine recently took off in a Cessna 182 with a little bit of ice on the wings (yeah, I told him that wasn't the best idea in the world). The flight was made at night and the temp was below freezing from the surface up through 6,000 feet (the altitude at which the flight was made).
When he landed he said that every bit of ice was gone. I understand what sublimation is but I don't know why it occurs. I thought it might be a combination of radiant energy from the sun and/or the temperature rise due to drag at higher airspeeds. Obviously, neither of these factors was present in this case. So ... what causes sublimation to occur? Is it the lower pressure at altitude? Is it the airflow?
When he landed he said that every bit of ice was gone. I understand what sublimation is but I don't know why it occurs. I thought it might be a combination of radiant energy from the sun and/or the temperature rise due to drag at higher airspeeds. Obviously, neither of these factors was present in this case. So ... what causes sublimation to occur? Is it the lower pressure at altitude? Is it the airflow?