With safety and efficiency factoring highly in all de-icing operations, Vestergaard has launched OPTIM-ICE, the first version of its operator-assisted de-icing system, at this year’s GSE Expo Europe.
The solution is intended for narrowbody aircraft wings and stabilizers and can be ordered on new Elephant BETA de-icers as well as to retrofitted newer models. In the coming years, the software will be upgraded with increasingly more automation and all aircraft types.
Using LIDAR radars OPTIM-ICE initiates a job by scanning the aircraft in one quick pass, while ensuring that the nozzle or telescope cannot touch the aircraft surfaces. The software immediately recognises the aircraft surface and selects the appropriate de-icing patterns. It then takes over and assists the operator by moving the nozzle in pre-selected patterns across the wing and stabiliser.
A software will slow down the approach and stop it completely at designated distance (typically 1 metre). The operator is still in control, and it is his or her judgment whether the surfaces are clean, but OPTIM-ICE performs the operation semi-automatically.
Training can be reduced as the software assists the operator.
