Boeing 747 ice and rain protection
The 747 protects against icing in two ways: hot bleed air heats the wing and engine leading edges, while electric heating guards the cockpit windows, pitot tubes and air-data probes. Rain is handled by heated windshields and wipers.
A 747 rushes a warm stream of bleed air through its wing leading edges and engine inlets to stop ice before it forms, while electrically heated windowpanes and pitot heads cover the parts bleed air cannot reach.
| Key facts | |
|---|---|
| Wing / engine | Hot bleed air warms the leading edges and inlets |
| Cockpit / probes | Electric heat on windshields, pitot tubes and air-data sensors |
| Crew actions | Wing and engine anti-ice are armed when descending in visible moisture near 0 °C |
| Rain | Heated windshields plus wipers |
Large-jet practice reserves hot bleed air for wing leading edges, engine inlets, radomes and empennage surfaces, and uses electrical heating for windshields and pitot-static probes. The 747 follows that pattern exactly, with PPG “Nestar”-type heating in the glass.
On the 747-400, in visible moisture with the total air temperature below 10 °C, engine-nacelle anti-ice must be selected on before thrust is reduced for descent, and wing anti-ice must be on at or below 22,000 ft in certain icing conditions (FAA AD 2011-16-02).
Sources
- Aircraft Icing Handbook — FAA
- Boeing 747 windshield heating — PPG Aerospace
- Pitot-static systems — Boeing
Sources
Facts on this page are checked against the primary and institutional references below.
- Aircraft Icing Handbook — FAA
- Boeing 747 windshield heating — PPG Aerospace
- Pitot-static systems — Boeing
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