Lancair is to offer a thermoelectric de-icing system on the turbo charged Columbia 400 all-composite light aircraft. Northcoast Technologies' ThermaWing system has been installed on the prototype and is to be certificated before aircraft deliveries begin in October.
ThermaWing uses a laminate tape of expanded-graphite foil, sandwiched between outer heat-conducting and inner electrically insulating layers, bonded to the leading edges of the wing and horizontal stabiliser. The leading edge is kept warm, melted ice running back on to the shedding zone, where it refreezes. Cyclic heating then sheds the ice.
The Columbia 400 prototype has also been fitted with the Avidyne FlightMax Entegra integrated flightdeck. De-icing will be offered on the "all-electric" 350.
Source: Flight International
