An experimental study of airfoil icing characteristics

The present investigation is concerned with the icing characteristics of a general aviation wing section, taking into account selected results from icing wind tunnel tests of the wing section. Drag coefficient increases of about 130 percent were measured for a 20 minute glaze icing encounter and cruise aerodynamic conditions. The drag increased by about 40 percent for a 15 minute rime icing encounter and the same aerodynamic conditions. The considered wing section was found to be less sensitive to rime and glaze ice accretions occurring for the climb aerodynamic conditions. The observed aft frost layer growths contributed significantly to the measured increase in section drag coefficient level. Comparisons of measured increases in section drag coefficient due to the primary ice accretion with predictions of NACA drag correlation indicated agreement was as good as that for the original data upon which the correlation was based.