TSAGI conducts anti-icing research for light convertible aircraft

press release




Icing is one of the most dangerous environmental effects for aircraft. It reduces the aircraft lift and the critical angle of attack, and increases its weight and drag. In addition, icing interferes with controllers, impairs visibility, and adversely affect the engines.

The ice growth on aircraft lift surfaces occurs mainly during takeoff, landing and “waiting” mode, that is, at low altitudes when the air contains a large quantity of supercooled droplets. Deicing is an important task to improve flight safety. The optimal deicing protection level of the aircraft lift surfaces must be chosen at the initial design stage. At a later stage it will help to avoid significant layout changes, power plant increase and energy loss.

Specialists of the Zhukovsky Central AeroHydrodynamic Institute (TsAGI) conducted anti-icing research for light convertible aircraft. Experiments were held in TsAGI’s small speed wind tunnel.

The program tested a model with simulated ice on the wing and empennage, which could form in the “waiting” mode. The simulator configuration was corrected against the background of the new aircraft layout modification. It was revealed that the investigated forms of ice did not affect the effectiveness of the vertical tail and rudder. In this regard, the plane does not need fin surface deicing.

At the next stage, the scientists plan to continue computation and experimental research of icing to form the requirements for designing the most effective deicing system for wing and horizontal empennage.

The lightweight convertible aircraft will be utilized both for passenger and for freight without changing the design. The aircraft is designed to transport 50 passengers over a distance of 1500 km or 6 tons of cargo at a distance of 1000 km. Its cruising speed will reach 480 km/h.a