amphibian aircraft and known icing

[LE8]

Is there such as a thing or are amphibians or floatplanes banned from flying into icing conditions?

Thank you

[jjbaker]

If there isn't I'd voluntarily consider a common- sense based self ban from icing conditions.
I haven't heard of a seaplane with deiced floats. These floats will pick up ice.

I would hazard a guess that it will be enough to plant the plane and the soil will be hard for digging.
The good thing to keep in mind is that most icing and weather related accidents are in fact investigated under crisp blue skies.

Stay safe!

[ahramin]

Amphib twin otter?

[LE8]

Amphib twin otter?

Caravan?

[Cat Driver]

Think Amphibian Caravan in icing then think catch rate.

[pdw]

You sometimes see anything from canoes to the kitchen sink tied to floats in the summer... so you're still mainly worried about the laminar surfaces to do with lift.

[LE8]

You sometimes see anything from canoes to the kitchen sink tied to floats in the summer... so you're still mainly worried about the laminar surfaces to do with lift.

So basically no flying amphibian caravans or any amphibian for that matter in a Canadian winter.

LE8

[cdnpilot77]

You sometimes see anything from canoes to the kitchen sink tied to floats in the summer... so you're still mainly worried about the laminar surfaces to do with lift.

So basically no flying amphibian caravans or any amphibian for that matter in a Canadian winter.

LE8

I wouldn't say that. I've flown an amphib beaver from pavement to pavement throughout southern Ontario winters. The point is to know when you would encounter ice and avoid that at all costs. It makes you pretty much a sunny day pilot but it can be done! I cancelled more flights than I flew but perhaps that's because I'm a big chicken....some would say Turkey.

[DareDevil]

to simply put....they are not certified to fly in icing conditions, nor would you want to.

[PilotDAR]

When I approve a modification to an aircraft which involves drag or lift, I include in the approval "Flight in icing conditions prohibited" just to be clear. If someone wanted to certify an amphib for known icing, I suppose they could enter the certification process, but I'd be surprised to see an amphibious floatplane be so approved.

Flying any aircraft off or onto the water in below freezing temps is foolish, regardless of the atmospheric conditions. Been there, tried that - once

Icing conditions are only loosely related to winter flying. I certainly fly amphibians in the winter, just not in icing conditions - as I would not any non deiced aircraft. My two friends delayed by 8 months, their North Atlantic crossing in a 182 amphibian, just to assure that they could not encounter icing conditions enroute, because you could get yourself boxes into a bad corner doing that.

Yes, amphibious floatplanes can be approved to carry external loads. Ideally, that load does not increase in drag and weight during the flight. Ice will, and does not know when to stop accumulating. Twice I've been flying a twin (one fully deiced) and ice was accumulating such that continued level flight was not possible until we found warm air in which to melt it from the airframe.

The good thing about flying an amphib and encountering declining weather conditions, is that you have an increased chance of a suitable landing area nearby, if you're among the lakes. "Done that too

[Cat Driver]

Ahhhh the memories...


........my last icing encounter that resulted in being unable to maintain altitude due to ice buildup was in an amphibian over Cairo Egypt it was a real nail biter but somehow we survived to fly another day.

Oh and when we got to Alexandria our filed destination the wind was a direct cross wind over thirty knots on the only runway.....that was not a nail biter though.

[PilotDAR]

Alexandria our filed destination the wind was a direct cross wind over thirty knots on the only runway

Cat, Egypt kindly put a second runway, always into the wind, at Alexandria harbour, just for amphibian pilots.....

[1000 HP]

I flew an Amphib caravan in the northern Quebec back in October 2006. The icing was a problem it built up on the gear legs and floats fast and with no means to shed it. The only option is to land and use "the bucket". Not fun...

[DonutHole]

Alexandria our filed destination the wind was a direct cross wind over thirty knots on the only runway

Cat, Egypt kindly put a second runway, always into the wind, at Alexandria harbour, just for amphibian pilots.....

Taxiing the cat past the citadel would be a sight to behold.

What an adventure

[Cat Driver]

The PBY will carry an amazing load of ice.

[jspitfire]

The float supplement for the Caravan on straight floats says flight into known icing is prohibited.