Quote:
Originally Posted by Brickhut
We used to carry a 3 gallon garden sprayer filled with a 75/35 mix of Type 1 for those nights when we knew we'd pick up a little frost when we were departing just after sunset. I light coating in the wings and h-stab usually did the trick....again LIGHT FROST ONLY.
A soft bristle broom (about as soft as a paintbrush)on an older paint job/unfinished surfaces to knock off loose snow also helps....one that was never used on the ground....very carefully....great to limit the number of gallons sprayed since you can often knock off the looser snow.
Many freightdogs avoid de-iceing routinely, and safely....yup paint-jobs are terrible, but paint in cargo is to control corrosion, not too keep a plane pretty, so 20+ years is common before a repaint, with little to no hanger time and lots of flying in weather...
Have also known people that add or use the thinner type of TKS fluid in a sprayer, basically does the same as adding a bit of alcohol to the type 1 to help it "eat" the frost or crack ice off at higher concentration.... SIMILARLY actually eats snow that lands on it if it is very light.
But on a more serious note, ever have a plane frost over as it's pulled out of a warm hanger? This tends to be the primary use of a garden sprayer with glycol.... Tip, store it in a 5 gallon bucket, typical strapped to a wall someplace, and be sure to release the psi after each leg...or the change in cabin/cargo psi will result the overpressure relief valve opening, dumping it's contents if not upright (hense the bucket).
Again, if you NEED to get sprayed, get sprayed, the application is more for peace of mind.