Introducing the First New Advance
in Ice Detection in 30 Years

Ice*Meister™ Model 9732 is a multi-function OAT gauge that detects ice on a molecular evel, then indicates it to the pilot -- within seconds of the penetration -- of any icing domain aloft.

For general aviation, there is currently no standard for detecting airframe icing aloft. There is no automation. It's anyone's call, and it's entirely subjective with each pilot.

Unseen airframe icing aloft is both dangerous and perverse -- the only time it forms is when you've fixated on the instrument panel, flying in visible moisture (IFR/IMC) and not looking outside.

How can you see white (rime) icing when it begins to form on a white wing? And once you do become aware of icing on the wing, for how long has it been accumulating? Has ice accumulated on other surfaces not visible from the cockpit? And, if you have an old ice detector from the 1970s, it's a power hog and requires 0.025" of ice before alterting the pilot. That's a lot of ice!

Humble OAT gauge

Because of its excellent ice-collection efficiency, the humble OAT gauge probe is the first thing to attract and accumulate icing. Then, icing spreads to the thicker airframe members with greater cross-sectional areas, such as the tailplane leading edges, wing leading edges, and finally the windshield.

When a wing leading edge ices over, the aircraft may already be dangerously accumulated with icing in unseen places. When the windshield finally ices over, you know the airframe has become well involved in icing accretion.

Watching the aircraft's OAT gauge probe is the optimum way to detect penetration into any icing domain because:

Slender is better.

(1) The onset of icing on a large cross sectional airframe member such as the wing is artificially retarded by compressed air heat. The wing collides, at high velocity, with water vapor molecules in the air, compresses them, and briefly heats them as the wing passes through. This heat-pulse may increase the H₂0 molecules' temperature above the latent heat of fusion. After the pressure dome of the wing leading edge has passed through, the molecules relax, give up their dose of temporary heat, and resume their lower ambient temperature.*

At that lower ambient temperature, the H₂0 molecules may cool enough to overcome their latent heat of fusion and change state, from liquid water to solid ice. But by that time, the forward velocity of the aircraft has advanced the wing past the original point of impact, and the ice forms somewhere aft of the leading edge.**

(2) The OAT gauge probe is far more efficient than the wing at attracting and accumulating airframe icing. A slender probe does not retard the onset of airframe icing because its smaller cross sectional area compresses fewer air molecules, and heats the surrounding air less than a fat wing that compresses much more air. Ice Meister uses this principle to attract airframe icing at its molecular level, and immediately alert the pilot to ice.

The new Ice Meister Model 9732 Ice-indicating OAT gauge is both a slender ice-attracting probe and a breakthrough in modern ice detection technology.

(*) For water, the latent heat of fusion is 80 calories per gram, or 144 BTU per pound.

(**) At 100 knots, the leading edge of an aircraft wing advances 3 feet in 17.7 milliseconds.

Click to return to top of page

Click to return to top of page

Click to return to top of page

CONTACT US

For more information about the new Ice*Meister Model 9732-OAT, please fill out the form below and click Send. Thank you.

Your Name: *

Aircraft type: *

What is your interest in
ice detection?

In which publication
did you read about
Model 9732-OAT?

Telephone: *

Email: *

Street address:

City:

State:

Postal code:

Country:

Captcha

Please enter the characters you see in this picture:

Characters

This helps prevent automated form submissions. If you are not sure what the characters are, make your best guess. You will have another try in the next screen.
Can't see the image? Click here for an audible version in english.