ASTM has developed a new international standard for ice detectors for GA aircraft. The detectors could be used to enhance pilot awareness of icing conditions and the standard was developed with the FAA’s Non-Required Safety Enhancing Equipment policy in mind. The is designed to make safety-related equipment more accessible for small aircraft by eliminating most certification requirements and has mostly been used to install advanced avionics on legacy aircraft.
ASTM member Dennis Regnier said most GA pilots monitor ice by looking out the window but detectors can enhance pilot awareness. “Typically, a general aviation pilot relies on visual cues to know when icing is encountered,” he said in a news release. “An ice detector can be especially useful when the time between checking for these visual cues lengthens, such as when a pilot has a high workload environment.” The new standard should help manufacturers get their equipment installed.
