Ice Prevention on Aircraft by Means of Impregnated Leather Covers, Special Report

The National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics is testing the effectiveness of a method to prevent the formation of ice on airplanes. The system makes use of a leather cover that is attached to the leading edge of the wing. A small tube, attached to the inner surface of the leather, distributes to the leading edge a solution that permeates throughout the leather and inhibits the formation of ice on the surface. About 25 pounds of the liquid per hour would be sufficient to prevent ice from forming on a wing of 50-foot span. The additional gross weight of the system will not be excessive. The tests are not yet completed but the method is thought to be practicable for the wing and it may also be adaptable to the propeller.