NASA Offers Online Aircraft Icing Refresher

NASA’s online Pilot Guide to In-Flight Icing offers a review of the science behind ice creation, the symptoms of its effects on flight and a host of exit strategies. The course is broken down into a number of categories that revolve around understanding the basics of ice formation, how ice affects the aerodynamics of an aircraft and how best to consider icing hazards during a weather briefing. The text goes on to an in-depth look at specific examples of icing cues. In addition to a number of videos shot inflight, including interviews with pilots explaining some of their icing experiences, the course uses quizzes to help pilots new to aircraft icing think through the process of what happens next. The course ends with a close-up look at the differences between how an aircraft might handle if a wing stalls due to ice versus a tail stall. The guide also offers an extensive resource section including websites, databases and additional reading related to icing. The course can be accessed from anywhere via Wi-Fi. Because of the tremendous amount of information the course presents, trying to absorb it all in one sitting is not recommended.