Blade icing

[funfreex]

Given the cold spell we are having , should we be concerned about ice forming on the blades during flight?
As i dont think I have experienced such phenomenon, does any one know what the signs are of foming ice on blade leading edges?
And does it actually happen or are the head speeds we are running prevent it from sticking ?

[moonmanflyer]

I was flying in minus temps over the weekend and had no probs, never heard of any issues, and seen people flying in really cold conditions

[Backrowslea]

Helicopter blade icing is caused by low temparatures and high humidity combined with the drop in pressure above and infront of the blade caused by the lift generated by the aerofoil

The primary effect of ice on the rotor system is drag; (i.e. a slowing of the head speed or having to increase throttle to maintain it) the secondary effect is loss of lift due to the change in aerodynamic efficiency of the blade. The way in which ice forms on the blade is affected several factors.

• Temperature.
• Liquid content and droplet size.
• Kinetic energy.
• Blade section.
• Mechanical flexion and vibration.

Some blade forms produce more kinetic heating than others and this can be related to the design of the blade and its speed of rotation. A high performance blade (which RC Helis have) do readily ice up due to their very narrow boundary layer, however, the small amount of pressure differential and the fact that not many people would fly in the rain/mist in temparatures below of at 0 degrees c means that it is highly unlikely to ever see blade icing on a model.


IMHO of course.


I await to see if the more experienced have ever seen it and blow my theory out of the window!

More importantly though the conditions required for icing are way too uncomfortable to be standing outside fying a helicopter, better off inside with a brew!!

[moyesboy]

Jamie, you are going to get great big icicles on your rotors which will suddenly reach critical mass and fly off like spears!
...or perhaps you will get a thin layer of frost like you get on a car window.

[andrewt1971]

I've had blade icing on my raptor 50. I hadn't been out in weeks so decided a little freezing fog wasn't going to stop me at least having a little hover. 8 minutes later I couldn't feel my hands, never mind my thumbs and when I finally gave in there was a significant ice build up on the blades, I took a photo at the time, I'll see if I can find it.

[marktigere1]

I've had a little on my 450 once.

Again this was with a little frozen mist (fog) in the air.

Covering was very thin but it was definitely ice.

[funfreex]

Jamie, you are going to get great big icicles on your rotors which will suddenly reach critical mass and fly off like spears!
...or perhaps you will get a thin layer of frost like you get on a car window.

ok, now you have me worried cos the ice I had to scrape off the car windscreen this morning was anything but thin!
having not really flown my heli in these icy conditions before I didn't know if it was something we needed to look out for.

[Sesame]

I to have only had it happen when very cold in fog, cold by itself doesn't have any effect

[Backrowslea]

I've had blade icing on my raptor 50. I hadn't been out in weeks so decided a little freezing fog wasn't going to stop me at least having a little hover. 8 minutes later I couldn't feel my hands, never mind my thumbs and when I finally gave in there was a significant ice build up on the blades, I took a photo at the time, I'll see if I can find it.

I knew that would happen......

It is the moisture in the air combined with the drop in pressure (and induced drop in temp) that causes ice to form, I wasnt sure if the lift prduced would cause enough of a pressure drop.... Proven wrong I think, and in hind sight the weight of some of the big helis require some lift!!!

[Edders]

aye I to have had ice on my blades (freezing fog) all I noticed was alack of power as the flight went on


Edders

[shaun.e]

Lack of power may also be due to the effects of cold on the power system battery??

[J3DI]

I've had icing on the 600N, not too bad and no ill effects noticed. It was more noticeable on my friends 500 which displayed some vibration.