Engines
Industry and Regulators Confront the Science of Engine Icing
Ice crystals can penetrate far into an engine and cause serious icing issues. Photo: NASA
Ice crystals can penetrate far into an engine and cause serious icing issues. Photo: NASA

Researchers are gradually coming to understand the physics of in-flight engine icing due to ice crystals. In response to this enhanced knowledge of the subject, civil aviation authorities, such as the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), are considering more stringent certification requirements. Meanwhile, manufacturers are factoring in icing protection in their designs but are wary of what they would view as excessively strict rules.