Expert Opinion
AINsight: Keep It Clean
The clean aircraft concept ensures that an aircraft is safe for flight in wintry conditions.
(Photo: AIN)
(Photo: AIN)

Operating an aircraft in conditions where there is either frost or freezing or frozen precipitation present creates several hazards and challenges. On the ground, pilots must have a plan to ensure that all lifting and control surfaces are free from any form of contamination before takeoff.

A contaminated wing and/or empennage on an aircraft will decrease lift, increase drag, and can lead to a disastrous outcome. Accident reports suggest that pilots do not fully use ground deicing and anti-icing procedures or understand the intent of the FAA’s “clean aircraft concept,” which prohibits takeoff with frost, ice, or snow adhering to any critical surface of an airplane.

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Stuart “Kipp” Lau
Contributor - Safety
About the author

Pilot, safety expert, consultant, and aviation journalist Stuart “Kipp” Lau writes about flight safety and airmanship for AIN.

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