Icing FCOM Section 13 Engine / Wing Ice Protection
Icing FCOM Section 13 Engine / Wing Ice Protection
This is not an official TSA document. Verify all info with official sources! 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 Steve Foster & Darin Carroll
Icing
FCOM section 13
The ATR FCOM - 1.13.20 p.4 is incorrect in some manuals. The "Alert" section refers to the "associated
Fault light on associated Air Bleed pb (Air Bleed panel)." This should read "Airframe Air Bleed pb"
instead.
The airframe airbleed fault system detects leaks and overheats in the bleed air used for the pneumatic
boots on the engines, wings and tail. It is important to remember that with the airframe air bleed
pushbutton selected on, which is normally the case even in summer, bleed air is always provided up to the
distribution valves for the engines, wings and tail. When turning on anti-ice or de-ice, the controllers are
commanding the opening and closing of the distribution valves according to a schedule determined by the
mode selector pb.
The best way to explain how this system works is to run through two example scenarios. Follow along in
the schematic and in the abnormal checklist.
First scenario:
Engine #1 is providing bleed air that is hot enough to damage the system: Temperature exceeds 230° C,
measured upstream of the left de-ice valve. We are using engine and airframe ice protection (level 3) at
the time of the fault. The airframe air bleed fault light illuminates. Per the checklist, the airframe airbleed
pb is released. Three things happen when the pb is released:
1. Both isolation valves close.
2. Both de-ice valves would close if the engine anti-ice was off, but since they are on, both de-ice
valves remain open.
3. If an overheat is detected by the 230° sensor located upstream of one of the de-ice valves, the
engine anti-ice on that side will fault after 6 seconds. The engine anti-ice will not fault for an
overtemp condition unless the airframe air bleed pb is off (released).
In this scenario, engine #1 faults 6 seconds after the airframe air bleed pb is released, indicating an
overtemp upstream of the de-ice valve. Per the checklist, we now turn off engine #1 anti-ice. This action
causes the left de-ice valve to close. At this point both isolation valves and the de-ice valve on the left
side are all closed. Now the checklist tells us to turn the airframe air bleed back on. This re-opens both
isolation valves. It would appear at this point that we have restored the whole system. This is not the
case. FCOM 1.13.20 p.6 tells us that if the engine anti-ice push button is turned off following an
airframe air bleed fault and an engine fault (which is the case here) the de-ice valve on that side will
close.
In our scenario, we have now restored all the ice protection except for engine #1. We're using engine #2
bleed air to provide ice protection for engine #2 and for the wings and tail through the common manifold.
Second scenario:
A leak is occurring in the system. (Pressure < 14 psi. is detected in the common manifold.)
Per the checklist, we turn off the airframe air bleed pushbutton. Since the engine anti-ice is on, the de-ice
valves remain open and the isolation valves both close. Neither engine anti-ice faults after 6 seconds,
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ATR Notes by Steve Foster and Darin Carroll – Revision #8 December, 2001
This is not an official TSA document. Verify all info with official sources! 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 Steve Foster & Darin Carroll
which indicates that the problem is not an overtemp. Thus it must be a leak in the common manifold.
There is nothing that can be done to restore the wing and tail ice protection, so the checklist directs an
increase in icing speeds and landing distances. The anti-ice for both engines will still operate normally.
Turning on the side window heat to defog the window is not recommended unless the temperature is
down in the icing range, to avoid cracking the windows. I think the windows can be easily scratched if
the side window icing is turned on and the windows is cleaned while it’s on. The heat might soften the
Plexiglas, since the side windows are heated when you have DC busses powered on the ground or in
flight.
In flight (only), to determine the SAT (static air temperature) for determining which mode to run the
props and airframe icing protection in, the push button must be depressed on the TAT - SAT gauge. On
the ground, (when the plane is not moving) SAT and TAT are the same.
Prop modes:
Normal mode: props run on a 70 second cycle with each blade heated for 10 seconds.
On mode: 80 second cycle with each blade heated for 20 seconds.
In the 42, controllers cycle the props and engine / airframe ice protection. In the 72, this function is
provided by the MFCs with one backup controller that is used in an override mode in case of MFC
failure.
Static ports: Heated when pitot heat is on, but there is no monitoring for the static system in flight. If you
had no abnormal indications in flight, but the pitot heat light came on after landing, (42) or the STAT
light came on after landing (72) that's the indication that the static system anti-icing failed in flight. There
are 6 static ports: 2 for Captain's ADC, 2 for first officer's ADC, 2 for standby instruments.
The horn anti ice is inhibited on the ground, but the green light for them will still illuminate if it's turned
on while on the ground. There are 2 controllers for the engine / airframe anti-ice / de-ice in the 42.
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ATR Notes by Steve Foster and Darin Carroll – Revision #8 December, 2001
This is not an official TSA document. Verify all info with official sources! 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 Steve Foster & Darin Carroll
It’s normal for the ice detector fault light to be on prior to engine start. The system uses AC Wild power,
and isn’t smart enough to inhibit the warning on the ground prior to startup.
Use the icing levels from the SOP. The ones in the FCOM have a difference in when the ignition is
activated.
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