TKS & ICING

[pwa]

Just want to get some input from those who have flown into moderate to serve icing with a TKS system, what was the out come? Did it work like a champ?

 

[gne in prog]

Only plane I have flown with tks is the hawker. It will get you out out of the icing, but like any system, I wouldn't hang out in it.

 

[JLF]

Yeah, it has worked really well.

A good example would be buzzing along at 17k and entering an area of IMC. -19C and -RA with the system on NORMAL and nothing sticking. Then, descending through 14.5 or so, and all the sudden seeing mixed accumulating rapidly on the leading edge and sheeting back along the wing. A flip of the switch in HIGH and the accumulation stops right away.

If low will prevent any accumulation I usually feel pretty good about things as long as I'm not in rain. I immediately try to get out of anything requiring more than a NORMAL setting. Only once have I had to hit the "Oh, Snap" hold-down button as the windscreen and parts of the cabin windows are caking over. A quick descent and all was well again. I will say that the protected surfaces stayed mostly clean throughout that encounter.

I would say yes, it has worked like a champ, but I've only stayed in it long enough to shoot an approach or climb/descent through it.

 

[Johnny150]

I would the to fly a plane with TKS... you know what I mean pwa

 

[TFaudree_ERAU]

Fly the airplane within the envelope of TKS protection (specifically airspeed), be proactive about activation of the system AND vacating the icing conditions, and keep it topped off, and it works very well.

 

[ctab5060X]

Just want to get some input from those who have flown into moderate to serve icing with a TKS system, what was the out come? Did it work like a champ?

The TKS system I flew with worked like a champ, as long as you had plenty of fluid.

I've flown from MEM to MKC in icing conditions the entire flight. Turned the TKS on 'normal' before takeoff and turned it off during the taxi after an approach to minimums. The ice accumulation during the postflight was only on the unprotected surfaces. Every surface protected by TKS was clean and clear.

I have been in moderate with the system, and it performed well enough to be able to get out of the moderate ice. Like others said, I wouldn't want to hang out in moderate icing.

 

[Sol Rosenburg]

I'm lazy but see if you can find Spira's post about the tks in the van, he had a couple pictures that really showed close to absolute protection on all the weeping surfaces with a very good amount of buildup sticking out where the edge was unprotected. It looked to me a phenomenal system compared to the boots. I'd say the picture I remember was probably moderate ice.

 

[dustoff17]

Fly the airplane within the envelope of TKS protection (specifically airspeed), be proactive about activation of the system AND vacating the icing conditions, and keep it topped off, and it works very well.

I agree with this 100%. Be proactive; turn it on before you accumulate a bunch of ice.

These systems are great; I've used TKS on both the C208 and the Citation SII

 

[Autothrust Blue]

Fly the airplane within the envelope of TKS protection (specifically airspeed), be proactive about activation of the system AND vacating the icing conditions, and keep it topped off, and it works very well.

It's icing escape or penetration equipment, not icing loitering equipment, no?

 

[ctab5060X]

Be proactive; turn it on before you accumulate a bunch of ice.

Exactly. TKS is primarily and anti-ice system rather than a deice system. Although it can deice, it works best if turned on before entiring icing conditions.