Both Dennis Johnson’s article on the use of carburetor heat and the Air Safety Institute article that he refers to leave a little wiggle room because they defer to the manufacturer’s recommendations (“Hot or Not,” June 2012 Flight Training). In 1990, the National Transportation Safety Board issued a safety recommendation in which it looked through the guidance provided to pilots with a
jaundiced eye and stated, “The Safety Board believes that pilots need more definitive guidance from airplane manufacturers concerning the use of carburetor heat on the descent and/or before-landing checklists to require the use of full carburetor heat when engine power is reduced below the normal cruise power range (the green arc on the tachometer or the manifold pressure gauge), or below an alternate engine power setting as determined by the manufacturer.”
It went on, “Amend, as necessary, in conjunction with the General Aviation Manufacturers Association and the airframe manufacturers, the descent and before-landing checklists in the pilot’s operating handbooks and airplane flight manuals of carburetor-equipped airplanes to require the use of full carburetor heat when engine power is reduced below the normal cruise power range (the green arc on the tachometer or the manifold pressure gauge), or below an alternate engine power setting as determined by the manufacturer.”
To my mind, this means full carb heat when descending to land without regard to aircraft make/model and/or engine manufacturer. Unfortunately, as is the case with many NTSB safety recommendations, the FAA never took action. It should not take a poke in the ribs from the FAA to encourage pilots and flight instructors to follow this advice.
Bob Gardner
Renton, Washington
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