Icing Environment Comparisons for the Distinct Parts of Jet Aircraft

Distinct parts of the aircraft may be exposed to different icing conditions due to varying flow and ambient conditions around them. These differences can be easily noticed, especially when icing conditions on the external surface and inside the engine air intake are compared for a jet aircraft. In this paper, the icing conditions around these parts are matched to between them. The purpose of this comparison study is to evaluate the functionality of ice detectors, located inside the air inlets, in detecting icing conditions around external surfaces as well. These systems provide information to the flight crew and/or airplane systems concerning inflight icing. On jet fighter or trainer type aircraft, they are generally located inside the engine air intake that serve as a warning equipment for icing risks on the aircraft engine itself. Sometimes, their warnings are also valid for intake lip ice detection if they are properly located. However, the usage of this equipment for ice detection on external surfaces is a big question mark, and this functionality is examined in this study.