APS Aviation Inc., a RHEA Group member world leader in ground icing research, will be incorporating Degree-Specific Snow Holdover Times (DSHOTs) in the APS Holdover Times (HOT) app for the first time in the 2021-22 version.
DSHOTs will provide pilots with longer holdover times, following approval by Transport Canada and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
DSHOTs are an expanded set of snow precipitation holdover times for all Neat (100/0) Type II, III and IV fluids listed in the HOT Guidelines. By providing holdover times at degree (°C) increments down to the fluid’s lowest operational use temperature (LOUT), instead of ranges of temperatures, pilots should be able to stay on the ground longer, especially in severe weather.
This is because in many cases the calculated DSHOT at a specific temperature, such as -4˚C, will be longer than the corresponding holdover time given for a temperature range, such as -3˚C to -8˚C, in the ‘paper’ table.
A ‘holdover time’ is the calculated length of time that any particular deicing or anti-icing fluid will prevent the formation of frost or ice, or the accumulation of snow, on the critical surfaces of an aircraft so that it can take off safely. For the past 25 years, APS has developed new aircraft ground deicing and anti-icing fluid HOTs and related guidance every year on behalf of Transport Canada and the FAA through extensive testing in laboratories and out in the field across Canada. The APS HOT app is used by the aviation sector globally.
APS’s HOT app incorporates the latest HOTs and is based on the company’s extensive deicing research and decades of experience. A new version of the HOT iOS app, and more recently the APS application programming interface (API), is released every year. The app incorporates the latest research data to enable pilots to understand how much time they have until they can safely take off, depending on the local temperature and weather conditions, and the specific de/anti-icing fluids used on the aircraft.
In related news, Marco Ruggi, senior manager – icing research, technical services, digital systems, APS Aviation Inc., said: “Through a partnership with JCAI Inc., the new DSHOT data will also be made available electronically to flight deck staff through JCAII’s Icelink® app. APS is providing JCAII with an APS API to enable JCAII Icelink® users to access required holdover calculations and outputs together with real-time weather conditions and synchronisation with ground deicing conditions.”
The 2021-22 APS HOT iOS app will be available in the App store in early autumn 2021.
