NASA Lewis Research Center's program on icing research

NASA is again actively involved in aircraft icing research. This paper briefly describes the new research activity in ice protection systems, icing instrumentation, experimental methods, analytical modeling for the above, and in-flight research. The renewed interest in aircraft icing has come about mainly because of the new need for all-weather helicopters and general aviation aircraft. Because of increased fuel costs, tomorrow's commercial transports also will require new types of ice protection systems compatible with the more efficient high by-pass and turboprop engines. And all types of aircraft require better estimates of the aeropenalties caused by ice on unprotected surfaces.