GKN Aerospace (www.gkn.com) recently completed the first flight of its patented Optical Ice Detector (OID) on-board an Atmospheric Research Aircraft operated by the Facility for Airborne Atmospheric Measurements, which is based at Cranfield, UK.

The titanium probe housing was made using GKN’s laser powder-bed additive-manufacturing (AM) process.

The OID features a small sensor head that incorporates optical fibres arranged to emit laser light into any ice that forms over the head, and collect laser light that is reflected by the ice. This head can be integrated into any ice-accreting surface on the aircraft or in the internal areas of gas turbine engines.

In particular, use of the OID allows more-precise control of an aircraft’s ice protection system (IPS), by only activating the system in areas where ice is actually accreting, rather than the current method where the whole IPS is activated in response to icing conditions.

During the course of the first flight, the OID successfully detected numerous ice accretion events.

Russ Dunn — senior vice-president of engineering, technology and quality for GKN Aerospace — said: “This successful first flight of GKN’s OID technology was the result of positive collaboration between our AM and ice protection teams. It marks a significant milestone in developing the capability.”