Deicing

Anyone who has flown out of cold places in the winter has experienced airplane deicing. The process, which must be performed just before takeoff to ensure safety, involves spraying a heated, glycol-based fluid onto aircraft surfaces to remove existing ice, snow, or frost. These frozen coatings can dangerously reduce lift and control during flight. They are often removed with electrical heating before deicing fluid is applied. The effectiveness of the deicing lasts for only a limited amount of time. If there are delays in takeoff, deicing may need to be repeated. Deicing is expensive and can lead to major delays in air travel during the winter.