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Every Pilots Nightmare....

PostPosted: Thu Feb 14, 2013 7:50 pm
by Fozzer
....and a small, general aviation Aeroplane, with an air-cooled, normally aspirated, piston engine, suddenly suffering Carburettor Icing whilst airborne, in a cold, moisture-laden atmosphere.......

Ice cold in Utah!

You would not believe the number of times that I apply Carburettor Heat, and Pitot Tube Heat, when sim flying my little Cessna 150 Aerobat in unfavourable atmospheric conditions!

Always good practice for when the real thing comes along!

All survived with a few bruises....and a very bent aeroplane!

Paul.... ;)...!

Re: Every Pilots Nightmare....

PostPosted: Thu Feb 14, 2013 8:03 pm
by Steve M
[smiley=thumbsup.gif]   Good find Paul, I'm glad every one was OK. A shame about the plane though.

Re: Every Pilots Nightmare....

PostPosted: Thu Feb 14, 2013 8:49 pm
by DaveSims
Actually my worst nightmare is being trapped in an aircraft out of control waiting for the ground to come up and hit.  I get chills even thinking about the videos of aircraft that have lost large portions of wings or other surfaces and just plummeting to earth.

Re: Every Pilots Nightmare....

PostPosted: Fri Feb 15, 2013 2:43 am
by expat
[quote]Actually my worst nightmare is being trapped in an aircraft out of control waiting for the ground to come up and hit.

Re: Every Pilots Nightmare....

PostPosted: Fri Feb 15, 2013 5:23 am
by Fozzer
I've got a funny feeling, that if the Pilot was aware of the outside weather conditions, noticing all the snow down below, and the OAT temperature gauge on his wing, etc, indicating a very low temperature, assuming the presence of moisture in the air, and forgetting to apply regular Carburettor (and Pitot) Heat, he will have some explaining to do with his Insurance Company?

I have personal experience of the effects of frozen Carburettors (with no facility to heat them) on my Vintage motor cars and motorcycles in the past, in inclement weather!: Stalled engines and rough-running engines!

"Frozen Carburettors" can be very bad for your health.....Trust me!... :o...!

Paul...wearing a pair of nice warm under-pants... [smiley=thumbsup.gif]...!

http://flighttraining.aopa.org/students ... icing.html

Re: Every Pilots Nightmare....

PostPosted: Fri Feb 15, 2013 5:27 am
by BLAZE
I'm sure glad they all made it out alive. Why the hell did this guy land in a snow field?
There were all sorts of flat, snow free roads he could have landed on. I'm just going by
what I could see.

It's 2013, Why don't they have some kind of quick shot deicing system? Something that
would shoot some petroleum based deicer into the carbs. It could even turn on the carb
heater when the emergency deicer button is pushed. You know.. encase the pilot forgets.

Just a thought.:)

Re: Every Pilots Nightmare....

PostPosted: Fri Feb 15, 2013 5:48 am
by Fozzer
...I always make a point of applying Carburettor Heat prior to closing the throttle, during landing. A time when the pressure drop through the Carburettor venturi is at its maximum, (rapid air flow through a very small gap), resulting in a very low temperature on the Carburettor body, resulting in a build-up of ice in the venturi, with moisture in the air, therefore restricting the air/mixture flow, and suffering a strangled engine!

Cancel Carburettor Heat just before landing, in case a "full power, aborted landing, go-around" is necessary!
Applying Carburettor Heat reduces engine power..(hot air)...

(Lots of things to remember at the last moment!).

Paul...Ice-cream is OK... ;)... ;)...!

Re: Every Pilots Nightmare....

PostPosted: Fri Feb 15, 2013 2:42 pm
by C
If it's cold and moist enough in the circuit to be needing to consider using carb heat, you've got to question whether you should've got airborne in the first place! :)

Re: Every Pilots Nightmare....

PostPosted: Fri Feb 15, 2013 4:29 pm
by Fozzer
If it's cold and moist enough in the circuit to be needing to consider using carb heat, you've got to question whether you should've got airborne in the first place! :)


I look at many of the fancy screen-shots posted here, involving small, piston prop, normally aspirated engines, operating in unfavourable atmospheric conditions, and I am of the same opinion!... ;)... ;D...!

I avoid cold, damp clouds, like the Plague!

Paul...me and my engine hate getting wet and cold!... :(...!

Re: Every Pilots Nightmare....

PostPosted: Fri Feb 15, 2013 5:16 pm
by DaveSims
It's 2013, Why don't they have some kind of quick shot deicing system? Something that
would shoot some petroleum based deicer into the carbs. It could even turn on the carb
heater when the emergency deicer button is pushed. You know.. encase the pilot forgets.

Just a thought.:)


Because its 2013, and most all new engines are fuel injected and do not need carb heat.   ;)

That, and many things that would melt the ice, would probably still stall the engine. 

Re: Every Pilots Nightmare....

PostPosted: Thu Feb 21, 2013 7:01 pm
by beaky
A perfect illustration of why you DON'T CARRY A BABY IN ARMS ON A PLANE. The mother held on OK that time, but luck was on the kid's side, for sure.

Re: Every Pilots Nightmare....

PostPosted: Thu Feb 21, 2013 8:11 pm
by Jetranger
I'd think the Worst Nightmare would be, IF you owned a Nice Jet or propliner, and ya get the Insurance Bill in the mail, that ya owe on, and/or - the Enormous Fuel Bill for the fill up, that'd be a Nightmare to me !

Thankfully, I don't ever have to Fuel up , nor insure any of my Aircraft  :o

none of my 3,879 Aircraft that reside in my hanger,, OMG !  ::)

Re: Every Pilots Nightmare....

PostPosted: Thu Feb 21, 2013 8:41 pm
by Steve M
A perfect illustration of why you DON'T CARRY A BABY IN ARMS ON A PLANE. The mother held on OK that time, but luck was on the kid's side, for sure.


This brings up a good Question! How do you stowe an infant on a small aircraft? I know what to do in a car, but in small aircraft not so much.   

Re: Every Pilots Nightmare....

PostPosted: Thu Feb 21, 2013 8:54 pm
by BLAZE
That baby didn't sound to happy right there at the end did he?

I thought the little guy was strapped in. I'll have to check it out
again.

How many people can say they lived through a plane crash when
they were a baby? 8-)

Re: Every Pilots Nightmare....

PostPosted: Thu Feb 21, 2013 10:32 pm
by Jetranger
How to Strap your Baby in  an Airplane ???

I always just use Bunji' Cords and Motorcycle Straps !  :o  ;D ;D ;D 

Its either that or Rope & Duck Tape -  ;D ;D