Pilots prepare aircraft for winter flights

Snow is falling as you land. Your airplane slowly taxis to the gate. Your pilots have successfully flown into inclement weather safely. What preparations went into that flight?

Winter weather can be challenging for every part of flight operations, starting with the airplane, which has to have effective braking systems with anti-skid. The jets have reverse thrust and panels on the wing to kill lift, transferring the weight to the wheels for braking. Every modern jet airliner has to demonstrate the ability to safely stop on a runway that is contaminated with snow, ice or rain during certification. These demonstrations provide pilots with the landing distance needed to safely stop.

Pilots know that when landing on contaminated runways, a firm touchdown is needed to allow the anti-skid system to provide the best braking.

Takeoffs bring challenges, too. Special procedures must be followed to have the wings and tail free of contamination before beginning takeoff. Contamination can distort airflow, causing a loss of lift and control.

De-icing the airplane is essential. Once boarding is complete, the captain taxis to a de-icing station where trucks with specially trained ground service personnel spray hot glycol onto the wings and other critical surfaces to melt any ice that is adhering. Once all the ice is melted, a special fluid is applied that prevents ice from sticking to the wing for a specific amount of time. The airplane needs to be airborne before this time expires or return for deicing again.

When flying, airliners have de-icing systems to prevent ice from building up on the wing and distorting the airflow. Windshields are electrically heated, as are airspeed probes.