If TKS damages it, why do I have a deicing system that pumps TKS over the windscreen?
Possibly more than 1 type of plastic is being used?
Peter wrote:
In the rental scene most people use a credit card to scrape the stuff off, with predictable results, and I am not referring to the credit card
NAH, that’s old school. Nowadays with contactless the bevelled edges on the credit card don’t matter. The scratches in the windscreen are something else…
Personally, I just turn it into the sun and go for breakfast. Took until 12 noon recently.
Well, in the end it didn’t matter – there was no frost on the windshield! Overnight temps were around -16C. I decided to leave late afternoon, as the wx forecast for the next morning (i.e. today) was pretty atrocious. Either it was simply too cold and dry or frost to form (I suspect that was the case) or the sun heated the airplane enough during the day, I don’t know. Anyway, good discussion! I’ve got a series of trips to cold places coming up over the next few weeks, will keep you all posted.
172driver wrote:
See below from the C210 POH (C210L, Centurion II):NOTE
Never use gasoline, benzine, alcohol, acetone, carbon tetrachloride, fire extinguisher or anti-ice fluid, lacquer thinner or glass cleaner to clean the plastic. These ma- terials will attack the plastic and may cause it to craze.
NB: in the original text the ‘Never Use’ is underlined.
Indeed, so it does, also in mine (P210N). I had forgotten that. The next section, about deicing the airframe, repeats it:
When (…) it is necessary to remove ice before flight (…) Isopropyl alcohol will satisfactorily remove ice accumulations without damaging the paint. While applying the de-icing solution, keep it away from the windshield and cabin windows since the alcohol will attack the plastic and may cause it to craze.
So, it looks like indeed it is “application of heat” only for the windshield and window…
