Just a little ice

[Dean]

I stopped at LBO today and took these pictures of the airplanes that have to sit out. A King Air came in while I was there and it was interesting watching him try to turn on the ice. He did a good job for what little room he had. The ice was at least 1.5" thick on the planes and ground.

 

[KennyFlys]

Is that a C-150... tailwheel version?


Or, just a tad extra weight on the backside, there?

 

[Pilawt]

Is that a C-150... tailwheel version?


Or, just a tad extra weight on the backside, there?

Here are some photos from the ice storm that shut down Portland, Oregon Int'l for three days a few years ago.

Note the towbar hanging from the nosewheel in this photo:
http://www.airliners.net/photo/Airborne-Express/McDonnell-Douglas-DC-9-41/0491116/L/

 

[ScottM]

Looks just like the ramp in Kittila. I was surprised to see almost 3" of ice on it and planes driving all over the place. I think those Finns take ice taxiing lessons

 

[KennyFlys]

"Airborne Express... We Rotate at the Gate!"

Ya think they used something to control how fast that nose came down?

 

[Pilawt]

"Airborne Express... We Rotate at the Gate!"

Ya think they used something to control how fast that nose came down?

I live two miles from that spot, directly across the Columbia River. The TV helicopter hovered over the airport (why not? there was no traffic at PDX for three days) with live video of that DC-9. They explained why the thrust reversers were left open, but I don't recall it now.

PDX was reporting temperature of 27 degrees F on the ground, but the helicopter 2,000 feet overhead reported OAT of 47 F. Thus the freezing rain and ice.

What looks like a skating rink in the second photo below was our front lawn!

 

[gprellwitz]

Is that a C-150... tailwheel version?


Or, just a tad extra weight on the backside, there?

No, that one still had some air between the tail and the ground. The 172 at the far end of the row, however, seems to be touching the tail to the ground!

 

[poadeleted20]

The weight of the snow/ice on the tail surfaces is often enough to drop it to the ground if the wing tiedowns are slack.

 

[Teller1900]

I live two miles from that spot, directly across the Columbia River. The TV helicopter hovered over the airport (why not? there was no traffic at PDX for three days) with live video of that DC-9. They explained why the thrust reversers were left open, but I don't recall it now.

I was curious about the thrust reversers. Makes me wonder if they tried to powerback the a/c, perhaps help the tug on the ice, but the mains go stuck or the brakes were frozen, or something like that?

 

[KennyFlys]

I was curious about the thrust reversers. Makes me wonder if they tried to powerback the a/c, perhaps help the tug on the ice, but the mains go stuck or the brakes were frozen, or something like that?

I wondered that also but didn't think they would risk the stress on the struts if the ice is as deep as it appears.

 

[nddons]

A case of slight ice accumulation - and a tailwheel T-37:

 

[Ghery]

I live two miles from that spot, directly across the Columbia River. The TV helicopter hovered over the airport (why not? there was no traffic at PDX for three days) with live video of that DC-9. They explained why the thrust reversers were left open, but I don't recall it now.

PDX was reporting temperature of 27 degrees F on the ground, but the helicopter 2,000 feet overhead reported OAT of 47 F. Thus the freezing rain and ice.

What looks like a skating rink in the second photo below was our front lawn!

Winter of 95/96 we had a bit too much ice out in front of our house west of Portland. Street had a steep slope going past the house and the sidewalk was a sheet of ice. My wife made it across to get the mail, but she couldn't get back across the sidewalk to get to the house. If she tried she just slide down the hill. I had to put on my golf spikes and go rescue her. Never thought I'd need crampons!