Aircraft Icing Forecast Available to Purchase

Aircraft icing forecast is only possible, if meteorological as well as specific aircraft parameters are known. The most important specific aircraft parameters are airspeed and dimension of the icing profiles. The most important meteorological parameters are total water content, concentration and size distribution of the cloud elements, air temperature and air pressure at flight altitude. They are largely unknown and must be predicted. Modern forecast of meteorological parameters is gained by use of numerical models of the atmosphere. The German Military Geophysical Office (GMGO) makes use of a model for Middle Europe, called Boundary Layer Model (BLM). Potential Icing Forecast (PICE) bases on the BLM. It uses the lowest 11 layers between model ground and l0 kln above Mean Sea Level (MSL). The ice accretion rates at affected airfoils of different types of aircraft caused by the same meteorological conditions are different. So, for any aircraft new icing severity degrees should be defined by the aircraft designers in terms of size and amount of the ice shape for LIGHT, MODERATE and SEVERE ICING. Meteorological and aircraft specific parameters can be taken into consideration by use of ice accretion models to calculate ice accretion rates at prof'fles with critical influence to the aircrafts flight capabilities. Then aircraft icing forecast in terms of LIGHT, MODERATE or SEVERE ICING means to compare the calculated ice accretion rates with the defined new icing severity degrees. After some experience the ref'mement of the models can be worked on.