A Cool Meeting of the Minds

The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) G-12 Aircraft Ground De-icing Committee and the Association of European Airlines (AEA) meets annually to discuss plans, strategy, technology advancements, equipment, operations, methods, training, fluid and environmental issues. This group is comprised of engineers, technical professionals, academics and government representatives from numerous countries. The goal of the SAE G-12 committee and AEA working group is to exchange information on a global basis for use in developing aircraft ground deicing standards. The SAE G-12 committee serves as the focal point for all aircraft ground deicing related activities within SAE. SAE G-12 works closely in conjunction with AEA and governing regulatory agencies such as Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Transport Canada Civil Aviation (TCCA), which further substantiate the efforts in the globalization of deicing/anti-icing standards.

SAE G-12 is comprised of eight subcommittees, which consist of:

• G-12DF Deicing Facilities Subcommittee
• G-12HOT Hold-Over Testing Subcommittee
• G-12M Methods Subcommittee
• G-12F Fluids Subcommittee
• G-12E Equipment Subcommittee
• G-12ID Ice Detection Subcommittee
• G-12T Training Subcommittee
• G-12FG Future Deicing Technology Subcommittee

These SAE technical subcommittees develop, review, maintain and repeal technical reports within their defined area of responsibility.

The SAE G-12 Aircraft Ground Deicing Committee has been established to study the subject of aircraft ground deicing/anti-icing and bring a commonality to procedures on a global basis.

This committee is responsible for developing the following technical reports:

• AMS ? Aerospace Material Specification: This identification is used for material and process specifications conforming to sound, established engineering and metallurgical practices in the aerospace sciences and practices.
• AS ? Aerospace Standard: This identification is used for: (1) design standards, (2) parts standards, (3) minimum performance standards and (4) other areas conforming to broadly accepted engineering practices or specifications for a material, product, process, procedure or test method.
• ARP ? Aerospace Recommended Practice: These Aerospace Technical Reports are documentations of practice, procedures and technology that are intended as guides to standard engineering practices. Their content may be of a more general nature, or they may propound data that have not yet gained broad acceptance. The recommended practice should emphasize the capabilities and limitations of the information contained therein. A technical committee preparing such a report may add an introductory note stating, ?This SAE Recommended Practice is intended as a guide toward standard practice and is subject to change to keep pace with experience and technical advances.?
• AIR ? Aerospace Information Report: These Aerospace Technical Reports are compilations of engineering reference data or educational material useful to the technical community. Information Reports require only one level of consensus for approval and publication.
• ARD ? Aerospace Resource Document: These Aerospace Technical Reports provide the reader with technical and non-technical information, which may support a technical report. Examples include rational report, results of round robin or field-testing, field data or empirical date and compilations of industry research results. These Aerospace Technical Reports may report on state-of-the-art technology or be a technology needs-assessment. These reports shall have a maximum life of two years from adoption and cannot be revised or reaffirmed. The sponsoring technical committee can cancel this report by letter ballot at any time.

Committees and subcommittees meet to discuss deicing/anti-icing globalization issues the global community has regarding equipment usage, such as forced air and why it should be used, when it should be used and benefits of using it. They also discuss many topics of fluid usage from recycling fluid to different types of glycol and glycol runoff.

Spraying different glycol mixes is based on varying temperatures around the world and on hold-over times. Glycol mix and different ways of spraying is a major topic that is discussed. Different areas of the world will have varying needs based on temperatures and amounts of snow and frost. Therefore, a standard mix in one extremely cold region may not be the same for a somewhat warmer region. Glycol mix and spraying are looked at based on a regions climate, deicing equipment used and environmental impact.

Some of the current issues under test and evaluation or under review, which are being discussed by SAE G-12 and AEA include:

• Electro magnetic interference incidents experienced in mobile deicing equipment
• Forced air testing updates and document review
• Quick reference maintenance troubleshooting Guides for operators of deicing equipment
• Deicing equipment and operational requirements for the Airbus A380
• Environmental matrix for facilities
• Infra-red deicing at airports
• Standards in message boards at airports
• Runway runoff of fluids
• Foaming issues with deicing fluids
• Recycled fluid
• Hydrogen embrittlement testing
• Aerodynamic acceptance
• Fluids exposure to dry air
• Anti-icing fluid viscosity testing
• Dan Ice
• Ice-phobic coating
• Results on hold-over time testing of Type II, III and IV
• Results of APS testing of Type II and IV
• Testing conducted by NCAR
• Type III fluid presentation and table relating to hold-over times
• Quality assurance on fluid sampling methods and test procedures
• ISO document status and review

The SAE G-12 committee is looking into future deicing technology needs and desires that can contribute to globalization efforts. Some of the topics of interest include:

• Cost effective one step de/anti-icing fluids
• Automated de/anti-icing operation
• Longer hold-over time
• Timely ice detection information to the ground crews and to the pilot in command
• A measurable and sustained reduction in deicing costs
• Reduction in time required to deice or anti-ice an aircraft
• Spot deicing capabilities
• Deicing only process (i.e. for frost)
• Enhanced and safer operations under extreme winter weather conditions
• Reduction in glycol mitigation costs
• Reduce environmental impact of aircraft deicing
• Proportionally controlled user friendly fluid blending
• Frost prevention and removal process
• Isphobic coatings
• Glycol recycling

SAE G-12 Aircraft Ground De-icing Committee and AEA De-icing/Anti-icing Working Group are interested in receiving suggestions, questions or new technology advancements. This is a forum to truly bring globalization of deicing/anti-icing activities together. If you are interested in learning more about aircraft ground deicing within SAE, visit www.sae.org and then search for SAE G-12.