subject: Aviation Gear You Need: Deice Boots And A Mount For Your Efb On The Control Yoke [print this page] If you're doing any flying in cold weather, you already know the danger that ice poses. As water freezes onto the wings of an aircraft, it creates layers of heavy ice on the leading edges. Even a light layer can cause a stall, so allowing a thick buildup is a recipe for disaster - unless you enjoy taking your life very precariously in your hands. If you have no way of removing the ice, you're in serious jeopardy.
It's not so much the weight of ice that causes the problems. When ice accumulates on the leading edges of wings or the airframe, it actually changes the aerodynamics of the craft, and air will then flow differently over and around the components of the airplane. It's called accretion, and this is where trouble starts. If the general shape of the wing or body is changed enough, the aircraft will not be able to maintain enough lift to keep it in the sky. Things that go up and can't stay up must come down.
Deice boots are one kind of aviation gear you don't want to do without unless you live and fly only in tropical skies. The boot itself is a bit like a rubber balloon. It's attached to the leading edge of the aircraft where ice usually forms, and when the pilot deems it necessary, he or she can inflate the boot to crack ice so that it loses its ability to grip the wing. The pilot has full control over the boot.
There are also other types of de-icing systems and anti-icing systems. They rely on heat (preventing ice from forming or melting it when it does) or liquids like ethylene glycol to prevent ice from adhering.
Another extremely handy bit of aviation gear is an electronic flight bag (EFB). With the invention of digital devices that can hold gigabytes of information and still fit into the palm of your hand, pilots have been able to ditch the heavy backpacks that used to hold thousands of printed pages of flight manuals. Those are old-school flight bags. Instead of hauling around 40 pounds or so of papers, pilots can now pack a five pound electronic flight bag that contains all the information needed for flight management tasks. Special mounts can be purchased that attach the EFB to the control yoke, keeping it easily accessible and at the tip of the pilot's fingers.
