Flight In Icing Conditions

Saab Group Presentation

Fredrik Asp
Manager
Aeronautics Department
Saab 340 Operators conference, 2006

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 Flight In Icing Conditions
Contents

• Stall Definitions
• Ice & Icing Conditions
• Stall Warning System
• Use of Autopilot
• Maneuvering Speeds
• NTSB Recommendations to the FAA

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 Flight In Icing Conditions
Stall Speed Definitions

• The Saab SF340A and Saab 340B is certified according to the

minimum wings level in-flight airspeed (Vs) defined according to
appropriate certification requirement:
• FAA - VSpusher defined according to FAR25
• JAA & Australia - VSmin defined according to JAR25

• The Saab 340B(WT) is certified according to the 1g stall speed (VSR)

definition, i. e. the minimum in-flight airspeed for sustained 1g flight
according to appropriate certification requirements.

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 Flight In Icing Conditions
Stall Speed Definitions

Airspeed
Stall speed - Vs

SF340A & 340B Vspusher Vsmin

(FAR25) (JAR25)

Airspeed
340B(WT) 1g Stall Speed – VSR
Min speed for sustained 1g flight

Load Factor
1g

Timeline (sec)

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 Flight In Icing Conditions
Definition of Icing Conditions

• The Saab 340 is certified for operation in icing

conditions in accordance with the definition in
Appendix C of FAR/JAR 25 which is supposed to
cover 99% of icing conditions.

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 Flight In Icing Conditions
Ice
• Stall speed will increase with ice on the wings
• The defined margin to stall in icing conditions, as presented in Saab
340 operational manuals, is based on certain simulated ice
accumulations – ½ inch double horn shaped ice on protected and 3
inch on unprotected parts.
• The ice shapes have been derived from tests performed in icing
tunnel and are supposed to reflect a worst case of intercycle ice.

Typical ½ inch ice

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 Flight In Icing Conditions
Ice & Stall Warning System
• The stall warning system is designed to give an artificial stall warning.
• Stick shaker and aural warning and subsequent pusher are valid for
an ice free wing and occur at a preset angle of attack depending on
flap setting and airframe de-icing system operation.
• The Saab 340 AOM states ”In some adverse cases stall may even be
encountered before the artificial stall warning is activated”.
• Natural stall warning in the form of buffeting caused by partial
separation over the wing may be experienced at a speed up to 25%
above the ice free stall speed.
• Wheel input is required close to stall, both with and without ice
accretion on the wing, in order to keep the aircraft wings level.

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 Flight In Icing Conditions
Stall Warning System
340A & 340B

Airframe De-Icing System Operation will

lower the shaker activation with 0.4o AoA

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 Flight In Icing Conditions
Stall Warning System
340A & 340B Pusher

AoA
Shaker

Timeline (sec)
Stall speed - Vs

Airspeed
>1.07*Vs (FAR/JAR)

Vspusher Vsmin
(FAR25) (JAR25)

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 Flight In Icing Conditions
Stall Warning System
340B(WT)

Airframe De-Icing System Operation will

lower the shaker activation with 0.4o AoA

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 Flight In Icing Conditions
Stall Warning System
340B(WT) Pusher

AoA
Shaker

Timeline (sec)

Airspeed
>3 kts or >3%
>5 kts or >5%

FAR/JAR req.
1g Stall speed – VSR
Min speed for sustained 1g flight

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 Flight In Icing Conditions
Stall Warning System – Canadian Certification
• At the time of certification of the Saab 340 in Canada (1995), Transport
Canada had additional requirements for operation in icing conditions
compared to FAA requirements.
• Canadian Saab 340 certification was based on the FAA certification
basis with additional Canadian Airworthiness Requirements according
to Transport Canada part 525 and Transport Canada issue paper I-10.
• For Canadian aircraft, the stick shaker and pusher activation was re-
scheduled to compensate for the increased stall speed in icing
conditions, which is in accordance with Transport Canada 525.207(b).
• The re-schedule is based on 1 inch double horn shaped ice on
protected parts (booted) and 3 inch double horn shaped ice on
unprotected parts, in accordance with the requirements in Transport
Canada issue paper I-10.

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 Flight In Icing Conditions
Stall Warning System – Canadian ”Ice Speed”
340A & 340B

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 Flight In Icing Conditions
Stall Warning System – Canadian ”Ice Speed”
340B(WT)

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 Flight In Icing Conditions
Ice & Stall Warning System

• Even if the Stall Warning System gives protection

against aerodynamic stall and the Saab 340 is a
robust aircraft to fly in icing conditions, the best
protection is always:

• Speed awareness
• Use of De-Icing Systems

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Flight In Icing Conditions –
Use of Autopilot Mode

• According to Saab operational manuals - FD/AP IAS Mode is the

ONLY vertical mode to be used during climb when ice accumulation is
observed or if it is not certain there is no ice accumulation on the
aircraft.
• FD/AP IAS Mode will always maintain selected airspeed regardless
of thrust to drag ratio.

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Flight In Icing Conditions –
Use of Autopilot

a/c stall

Airspeed
Airframe ice –
Speed loss

Climb with
AP VS Mode Risk of stall in icing
conditions

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Flight In Icing Conditions –
Use of Autopilot Mode Airframe ice –
climb degradation

Airframe ice –
Airspeed maintained

Airspeed
Climb with
AP/FD IAS
mode

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Flight In Icing Conditions –
Airframe ice –
Use of Autopilot Mode Climb Degradation, Airspeed maintained

Select AP/FD
IAS Mode Before
Entering Icing
Conditions

Initial Climb
with AP/FD
VS Mode

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 Flight In Icing Conditions
Maneuvering Speeds in Icing Conditions
• Maneuverings speeds that will provide the required margin to stall during
patterns, procedural turns and circuits are presented in the Saab 340
operational manuals.
• There are two types of maneuvering speeds presented in the AOM:

• Conservative Maneuvering Speeds – VCM

• Minimum Maneuvering Speeds – VMM

• The operator is free to use either the Conservative or the Minimum

Maneuvering speeds.
• VCM is more conservative than, or equal to, VMM up to max landing
weight.

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 Flight In Icing Conditions
Maneuvering Speeds in Icing Conditions
• Conservative Maneuvering Speeds – VCM (simplified maneuvering speeds)
• Weight independent
• Provides a margin of 1.3Vs for 340A & 340B and a 1.23VSR for 340B(WT) in
a turn with a bank angle of 30o at all weights up to MLW.
• Include full speed increments for malfunction.
• Includes an ice accretion (intercycle ice) effect corresponding to 10 kts.

• Minimum Maneuvering Speeds – VMM

• Based on VREF – weight dependent
• Provides a margin of 1.3Vs for 340A & 340B and a 1.23VSR for 340B(WT) in
a turn with a bank angle of 30o.
• If there is ice accretion or risk of ice accretion 10 kts has to be added to VMM

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 Flight In Icing Conditions
Maneuvering Speeds in Icing Conditions
• Example of presentation in the 340B AOM (27/1):

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 Flight In Icing Conditions
Maneuvering Speeds in Icing Conditions
Conservative maneuvering Speeds Minimum Speeds In Icing Conditions
(340B AOM 27/1) (340B AOM Supplement 37/1)

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 Flight In Icing Conditions
Maneuvering Speeds in Icing Conditions
• For Saab 340 on Canadian register, the ice increment is up to 30 kts
instead of 10 kts, hence new Conservative Maneuvering Speeds and
Minimum Speeds in Icing Conditions were developed for the applicable
flight manuals.

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 NTSB Safety Recommendations to the FAA
• NTSB has issued Safety Recommendations to the FAA based on a
low speed event in icing conditions last January
• The NTSB Safety Recommendations to the FAA include items
regarding:
– Minimum Operating Airspeeds for Flight in Icing Conditions
– Installation of modified Stall Protection Logics for Flight in Icing Conditions
– Installation of an Icing Detection System
– Use of Autopilot in Icing Conditions (applicable to all turbopropeller-driven
airplanes)
– Convening a panel of airplane design, aviation operations, and aviation
human factors specialists, including NASA, to:
1) Determine the feasibility of installing a low-airspeed alert systems in airplanes
engaged in commercial operations under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Parts
121 and 135
2) If feasible, establish requirements for low-airspeed alert based on the findings

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 NTSB Safety Recommendations to the FAA
• Saab is participating in the on-going investigation of the event
supporting the NTSB, the Swedish Investigation Bureau (SHK) and
the operator
• Saab has provided aero data, aircraft system data, certification data,
etc. to support the NTSB simulation of the event
• Saab has also presented simulation studies to the NTSB to describe
and document the event.
• Saab is working with the FAA, EASA and SCAA to determine suitable
actions based on the NTSB recommendations
• Saab characterize the event as a low speed event
• Saab is recommending operators to follow speed information and
procedures for flight in icing conditions published in the Aircraft
Operations Manual

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 www.saabgroup.com

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