Last week, a CFI flew a passenger into the Frederick Municipal Airport. After parking in front of the terminal/restaurant building, the passenger exited the left side of the airplane, and walked around the front strut towards the airport fence. She was struck by the moving propeller and her arm was partially severed and she also had a facial injury. Fortunately there were people there who gave immediate first aid, and she was taken to a local hospital. I’m not sure if reconstruction will be possible, but at least she survived.

I’m stunned that this accident occurred. I cannot understand how an experienced pilot lets a passenger get out of the airplane with the propeller still turning. I once let another pilot get out of a 182 I was flying, and even though we’d discussed it and I watched him walk toward the rear of the airplane, I was so uncomfortable I decided that I’d never do that again.

On the other side, how do you walk toward the nose of an airplane, while it’s running, making noise, and not know there’s a propeller there? My briefing to passengers before we even go out on the ramp includes a description of how they must NEVER be in front of the wing. I’m unhappy with the Diamond DA-40 I fly because it’s boarded from the front of the wing, not the rear, but at least in that process I know the engine is off and safed.

I expect the CFI will have both his own scrutiny and that of the FAA and NTSB to make him uncomfortable. Don’t take chances – keep the doors shut until the prop is stopped.

I’ve been watching the leaves turn here in my pleasant suburban neighborhood outside of D.C., and have seen frost on my lawn and car in recent weeks. When I see frost on my lawn, it reminds me that I’m likely to find ice in the clouds, and my mind turns to winter operations. I’m going to talk a bit about winter ops at the Bay Bridge airport in January, so I’ve been musing on the topics I want to discuss.

In May, the FAA issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that would eliminate language from parts 91, 125, and 135 that allowed operators to polish frost smooth before takeoff, rather than completely deicing the surface. Since there’s no definition of “smooth”, and no manufacturers have specified a process for smoothing frost, it seems reasonable to me to require a “clean” airplane. But on further inspection, the regulations that they’re going to modify in part 91 address only large airplanes, turbojet multiengine airplanes, and airplanes operating under 91 subpart K. There is no Part 91 requirement for deicing smaller airplanes. Now if you take your ice and snow-covered Cessna / Diamond / Bonanza / Mooney and decide to depart without cleaning it, and run into grief, I’m pretty sure you’ll get charged with a 91.13 careless or reckless operation.

The Instrument Flying handbook states that “Coping with the hazards of icing begins with preflight planning to determine where icing may occur during a flight and ensuring the aircraft is free of ice and frost prior to takeoff.” That’s really good advice. Frost is a REALLY rough surface and it’s affect on the airflow above it can be significant. A Canadian article on the subject (http://www.airforce.forces.gc.ca/dfs/publications/ot-dab/2007/07-1/14-agiof-oacgs-eng.asp) estimates a lift loss of 30% and drag increase of 40%. So if you’re currently polishing frost on your airplane, I strongly suggest you make the extra effort and get those flying surfaces (wings, tail) clean, both top and bottom – frost on the bottom of a wing adds drag too!

Most of the rental operations in my area require the airplanes to be preheated and deiced, and offer the necessary equipment. When I was an aircraft partner, we had a garden sprayer filled with polypropylene glycol and water. If possible we kept that sprayer in a warm environment as the heat helped to melt the ice, and the glycol kept it from refreezing. If you’ve got the time, nothing works as well as having the airplane in a hangar until it’s entirely above freezing and dry. No matter how you do it – don’t take a “dirty” airplane into the air.

Fly safely,

Tim

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