Ever since the early days of aviation, scientists have undertaken numerous challenges pertaining to the influence of atmospheric conditions on flight characteristics and performance. A specific flight scenario may expose the airframe of the aircraft to various factors related to weather conditions such as lighting strikes, gust, rain, hail, snow and in rare conditions volcanic ash. Although it is unlikely that an aircraft will be subjected to all of these conditions simultaneously, the sudden temperature change that the vehicle experiences between on-ground conditions and the cruise altitude can be considerably significant. The aforementioned conditions hence place stringent requirements on the external surfaces of the aircraft and their respective material characteristics. [Gohardani O (2012) The Exploration of Icephobic Materials and Their Future Prospects in Aircraft Icing Applications].
Last date updated on September, 2024