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Prolonged flight at cruising altitudes can cold soak airplane fuel, creating a cold corner in the wing fuel tanks. Even at ground temperatures well above freezing, moisture adheres to the wings over the super-cooled fuel tanks, creating frost. Clear ice can also form in ambient temperatures (between 35º - 75ºF or 2º - 24ºC) when conditions of high humidity, rain or fog exist.

Cold soaked ice on the upper wing surface can cause airflow problems to aircraft with thin profile wing designs. In addition, rear engine aircraft, such as the MD-80, are vulnerable to clear ice that can shed upon takeoff and get ingested into one or both engines, resulting in potential foreign object damage.

The WarmWing^TM and NOFOD^TM Clear Ice Prevention Systems eliminate the need for traditional deicing techniques and avoid the delays, environmental issues, cost and safety concerns associated with the use of deicing fluids. These unique over-wing ice heater blanket systems become a robust structural part of the upper wing-with virtually no maintenance or operational costs.

TDG's Clear Ice Prevention Systems turn on automatically after the aircraft lands (weight on wheels) and remain on continuously until takeoff. An annunciator light on the captain's instrument panel displays system status. The warm light indicator advises the crew when the system reaches a safe temperature of 40ºF or 4ºC, freeing them from time-consuming wing inspections.

The NOFOD^TM Clear Ice Prevention System comes as a complete, ready-to-install kit that includes two over-wing heater blankets, heater controls, cockpit annunciator, wiring harnesses and an electronic protection device (EPD).

Each heater blanket covers 45 square feet per wing and consists of two aluminum panels with a multi-layer composite of heating elements and honeycomb insulation. The heater blanket is fastened and bonded to the upper wing surface using conventional composite bag techniques. The system does not penetrate the wing fuel tank or disturb the fuel tank fasteners.

Installation of the kit, which weighs 133 lbs/65 kilos, can be accomplished during a C-check. TDG will assist with the first installation at the mod center of your choice.

TDG's NOFOD^TM Clear Ice Prevention System (STC SA6042NM) serves as a primary means of complying with the FAA's Airworthiness Directive AD-2002-21-06 for the MD-80 series aircraft. TDG Aerospace is also developing the WarmWing Ice Prevention System for use on 737 NG aircraft.

American Airlines has installed the NOFOD^TM Clear Ice Prevention System on all 260 of their MD-80 aircraft, and chose the system for their entire TWA MD-80 fleet. Delta Airlines, Alaska Airlines, US Airways, Aeromexico and Midwest Express have also installed the NOFOD^TM Clear Ice Prevention System on their entire MD-80 fleets.

A WarmWing^TM means a clean wing. Call today (760.466.1040) for a free ROI analysis for your aircraft, because your planes can't make money when they're on the ground.