The cold truth about ice detection

Aircraft ice detection systems are classified either as advisory or primary. Advisory detection systems warn flight crews of airframe icing through sensors located at the fuselage and at engine inlets. While these systems have been in use in several planes, they are prone to commit errors due to their high sensitivity. Primary systems, on the other hand, give the system's processor control over the ice protection system ratherthan to the crew. Rosemount Inc prefers the latter type and has already gained approval for the use of their products in a number of aircraft. It offers two types of detection systems, namely magnetorestrictive and heat of transformation ice detectors.