OVERVIEW

Icing research happens because icing accidents happen. It is an issue pertinent in all areas of aviation because it is a hazard on many levels.It is the job of NIAR’s Aircraft Icing Lab to conduct research that will contribute to the worldwide effort to reduce icing-related accidents.

Wichita State University is one of the leading U.S. universities engaged in aviation icing research and is supported by this through its relationship with the National Institute for Aviation Research's current research programs, which attract nearly $1 million in funding annually from the general aviation industry, as well as state and federal agencies.

Our Contribution

At NIAR, we help contribute to aviation safety by conducting icing research and generating data for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which aids the rulemaking process governing icing regulations and certifications. We also work closely with the Icing branch of NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) by performing fundamental studies on icing to develop numerical models that ultimately lead to the design of safer aircrafts operating in the icing environments.NIAR also has established a working relationship with the U.S., Canadian and European government research agencies and universities.

Its focus is primarily related to general aviation and commuter aircraft which are more susceptible to icing effects. Icing research at NIAR is separated into two groups: experimental and computational. Experimental involves testing of aircraft components to assess the detrimental effects of ice accretion. For example, ice buildup on aircraft wings will degrade the aircraft’s aerodynamic performance. Researchers build test models that can be used in other NIAR labs, such as the Walter H. Beech Memorial Wind Tunnel. Here, flight conditions can be simulated and the information gathered can be used by the FAA in developing operating rules and procedures.Computational effort involves the use of computer software to study the effects of icing prior to experimental testing, hence a reduction in the development costs.

This type of research is important when considering the statistics on the high occurance of icing related accidents. In a recent report compiled by National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) on all weather related accident for 1991 – 2001, icing accounts for 7.5% of all aircraft accidents. A total of 445 aircrafts were involved including recent fatal icing encounters by American Eagle (ATR72-212) in Roselawn, Indiana, and Comair (EMB-120TR) in Monroe, Michigan.

Currently, WSU is leading the research into SLD and have already formulated new algorithms and devised unique test facilities and techniques for studying this kind of icings. We are also working with international research establishments such Qinetiq (formerly Defense Establishment and Research Agency of United Kingdom), Cranfield University (United Kingdom), University City of London (United Kingdom), ONERA (France) and the Civil Aviation Authority of United Kingdom (CAA).

For the past 20 years, WSU has generated numerous reports and publications to the FAA, NASA and major conferences in these areas: droplet impingement, supercooled large droplet (SLD) studies, anti-/de-icing systems, ice shedding, pilot simulator, aerodynamic testing and computational fluid analysis (CFD) studies.

The Icing Group

The Icing Group at WSU consists of two senior staff members, three research associates and a team of dedicated researchers. Dr. Michael Papadakis is the director of the Icing Group and Dr. Jason Tan is the group’s senior member.

The Icing Group works closely with local aviation companies such as Cessna Aircraft and Raytheon Aircraft, and governmental agencies such as the FAA and NASA Glenn, in providing expertise and research skills in the field of icing and ice protection system engineering. They also collaborate with national universities from Illinois, Ohio and Iowa, and international universities such as Cranfield University and the University of London in United Kingdom. The Icing Group also contributes to the Ice Protection Harmonization Working Group (IPHWG) and the AC-9C Aircraft Icing Technology Sub-Committee. The latest contribution involves an advanced research program on Supercooled Large Droplet (SLD) Icing.