A REAL TIME ICE DETECTION SYSTEM

MODERN AVIATION REQUIRES ALL-WEATHER CAPABILITY. ONE OF THEMAJOR PROBLEMS INVOLVES THE RELIABLE DETECTION OF ICE FORMATION ON WINGS, ENGINES AND ROTORS, AS WELL AS ON AIRCRAFT RUNWAYS. AT PRESENT, NO SYSTEM HAS BEEN DEVELOPED WHICH POSITIVELY DETECTS ICE PER SE, AND NOT MERELY POTENTIAL ICING CONDITIONS. OUR PROPOSAL IS TO DEVELOP A DEVICE WHICH WILL NOT AFFECT THE AERODYNAMIC PROPERTIES OF WINGS, ROTORS, ETC., AND WHICHWILL DEFINITIVELY REPORT THE PRESENCE AND HAZARDOUS NATURE OF ICE, SO THAT ICING PROCEDURES MAY BE INSTITUTED AT THE PROPER TIME WITHOUT WASTING ENGINE POWER AND FUEL. THE OBJECTIVES OF OUR RESEARCH WILL BE TO DEVELOP A SMALL, RELATIVELY INEXPENSIVE DETECTING DEVICE WHICH CAN BE EASILY INSTALLED IN ANY AIRCRAFT OR OTHER VEHICLE OR ENGINE NEEDING SUCH CAPABILITIES. BASICALLY, THE DEVICE WILL MEASURE CHANGES WHICH OCCUR IN THE TRANSITION PERIOD DURING WHICH WATER CHANGES TO ICE. THESE CHANGES WILL BE MEASURED AND FORWARDED TO A RECORDING OR READOUT DEVICE, ENABLING PERSONS CONCERNED TO INSTITUTE DE-ICING PROCEDURES AT THE PROPER TIME, WITHOUT UNNECESSARY LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AND FUEL.