De-ice aircraft on the ground

This standard is about de-icing aircraft on the ground using de-icing fluid. This involves carrying out the preparations and checks required to spray aircraft surfaces with de-icing fluid, and applying de-icing fluid to different types of aircraft on the ground according to your organisation’s and the airport/airfield's procedures and the airline’s requirements.

This standard is for those responsible for spraying aircraft surfaces with de-icing fluid on the ground.

When you have completed this standard, you will be able to demonstrate your knowledge of and ability to:

• De-ice aircraft on the ground

1. Prepare to spray aircraft surfaces with de-icing fluid according to organisational and airport/airfield procedures
2. Check your safety equipment and wear the required Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in line with organisational and airport/airfield procedures and relevant legal requirements
3. Check the communications link with the vehicle driver
4. Confirm that the aircraft is in a condition suitable for de-icing e.g. all flight control surfaces are in position according to airline maintenance manuals
5. Conduct equipment function tests according to organisational and airport/airfield procedures and relevant legal requirements
6. Check the fluid mixture strength using a field refractometer
7. Check the fluid delivery temperature in line with organisational and airport/airfield procedures and operational requirements
8. Confirm that the area is safe to work in e.g. clear of people and other moving equipment
9. Conduct a check of the aircraft surfaces to confirm the requirement for de-icing
10. Operate de-icing equipment in line with organisational and airport/airfield procedures and relevant legal requirements
11. Maintain a coordinated operation with the vehicle driver following a path around the aircraft to treat the aircraft symmetrically and in a logical sequence
12. Maintain your own, colleagues’, passengers and visitors' health, safety and welfare when de-icing aircraft on the ground
13. Use the required spray techniques in line with organisational and airport/airfield procedures to remove deposits of frost, ice, snow and slush from aircraft surfaces
14. Apply de-icing fluid in a way which reduces the environmental impact of de-icing operations
15. Avoid spraying fluid on “Fluid Sensitive” parts of the aircraft 
16. Conduct a post de-icing check in line with organisational and airport/airfield procedures and airline requirements, if required
17. Complete de-icing documentation in line with organisational and airport/airfield procedures and airline requirements

1. How to prepare to spray aircraft surfaces with de-icing fluid
2. Your organisation's and the airport/airfield’s health and safety standards for operating the de-icer, including the safety features on the vehicles, personal protective equipment (PPE) required and the safe system of work
3. Your organisation's and the airport/airfield’s systems, procedures and practices for testing the function of de-icing equipment
4. Your organisation's and the airport/airfield’s procedures for checking the aircraft is in a suitable condition to be de-iced
5. Your organisation's and the airport/airfield’s procedures for reporting issues identified during operational checks, and the actions to take
6. The action to take if the area is not safe to begin de-icing operations
7. The global standards, regulations and recommendations for aircraft de-icing
8. The basics of aircraft performance and the effects of frost, ice, snow, slush and fluids on aircraft performance
9. The meteorological considerations on ice formation
10. The basic characteristics of the de-icing fluid in use, causes and consequences of degraded fluid and fluid residues
11. The refractive index charts for fluid types in use and how to convert refractive index readings to mixture strength
12. The required de-icing fluid delivery temperatures
13. The local rules and legislative and irline specific requirements in relation to de-icing aircraft on the ground
14. The techniques for removing deposits of frost, ice slush and snow from aircraft surfaces
15. Your organisation’s and the airport/airfield's de-icing / anti-icing procedures and how to adapt them for different types of aircraft / airline
16. The importance of and methods for applying de-icing fluid in a way which reduces the environmental impact of de-icing operations
17. The aircraft critical areas and aircraft fluid sensitive areas
18. The sequence of de-icing aircraft surfaces and the requirement for symmetrical treatment
19. How to maintain your own, colleagues, passengers and visitors' health, safety and welfare when de-icing aircraft on the ground
20. How to use holdover charts appropriate to fluid type in use, mixture strength and prevailing weather conditions to calculate holdover time
21. The types of inspection that are required to be carried out in accordance with your organisational and airport/airfield procedures and airline requirements
22. How to complete de-icing documentation according to organisational and airport/airfield procedures and airline requirements

Safety and personal protective equipment include:

a) Gauntlets

b) Visor

c) Cold weather clothing

d) Hearing protection

e) Safety footwear

f) Safety harness

g) Other

Communications link includes:

a) Cordless headset link

b) Cabled headset link 

De-icing equipment function tests include:

a) Boom raise and lower

b) Ground delivery gun

c) Basket delivery gun(s) 

"Fluid Sensitive” parts of the aircraft include:

a) APU inlet

b) Aircraft brakes

c) Cabin windows

d) Flight deck windows

e) Pitot-static systems 

Spray techniques include those used:

a) to remove deposits of frost, ice, snow and slush from aircraft surfaces

b) for different aircraft structure and manufacture types e.g. composite material used in some aircraft wings

PPE
Personal protective equipment

APU
Auxiliary Power Unit

Aircraft de-icing global standards
The global standards were facilitated by the Council for Globalized Aircraft De-icing Standards  and provide airlines and ground de-icing service providers with a series of standards to promote common de-icing processes to improve safety