About 60 percent of recorded ice crystal power-loss events have occurred in Asia. Researchers speculate that this may be due to the fact that the highest sea surface temperatures are also found in this region. Higher temperature air can hold more water. There is a heavy concentration of ice crystal power-loss events between 20 and 40 degrees north latitude with a few events farther than 45 degrees from the equator (see fig. 3). However, most events occur during the descent phase, most likely because of a combination of two factors. First, for icing to occur, the ambient temperature must be below the freezing level, and therefore icing tends to occur at the higher altitude associated with the descent phase. Second, the engine is least tolerant to ice shedding at idle power, which occurs in the descent phase. Ice crystal icing conditions have been recognized as a hazard to turbofan engines. Ice can build up deep in the engine core. Pilots are advised to familiarize themselves with the conditions under which ice crystal icing typically occurs and follow the recommendations in related technical bulletins. Airline awareness of the potential for ice crystal icing on all engine models/airplane types may provide additional information that will help Boeing and the industry better understand this phenomenon.
Posted on: Sun, 04 Jan 2015 04:10:46 +0000
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