NASA, FAA, ASF unveil icing dangers video

A new video on the dangers of in-flight icing from NASA, the FAA's Flight Safety Research Section, and the AOPA Air Safety Foundation will soon be available. At last night's Pilot Town Meeting in Cleveland, members of the Icing Branch of NASA's Glenn Research Center provided AOPA President Phil Boyer with a copy of the just-completed video.

Building on the solid backbone of ASF's Aircraft Icing Safety Advisor, the video explores the dangers of icing by following flights through icing conditions. Several AOPA members helped with the video, flying the general aviation missions into icing conditions.

"This video is the sort of thing NASA does very well," said ASF Executive Director Bruce Landsberg. "Given ASF's 50-year history of acting as champion for air safety, working together on this project just made sense."

NASA asked ASF to join the project, which is aimed at pilots of all types of aircraft, to make sure the impact of icing on general aviation aircraft was adequately spelled out.

The video is expected to be released in time for Oshkosh in late July. It will be available in both DVD and VHS formats. ASF will help with the distribution.

In addition, ASF is planning to print an updated version of the Aircraft Icing Safety Advisor. It should be available later this year.

Photo: William J. Rieke (left) and Dr. Judith Van Zante of the Icing Branch of NASA's Glenn Research Center present the just completed GA icing videotape and DVD to Phil Boyer.

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