Radomes and Antennas

"The current use of improved airplane ice-prevention equipment has extended operations in icing conditions and thus accentuated the need for protecting aircraft antennas against structural failures resulting from ice accretions"

Figure 7 of NACA-RM-E7H26a. Typical ice formation collected during flight on 15°, 34-foot antenna and the 64°, 40-foot antenna. View underneath antennas, looking forward.

These reviews are for studies of the effect of ice on radomes and antennas.

  • Gowan, W. H., Jr.: Vibration and Investigation of CAA Type V-I09 Very-High-Frequency Aircraft Antenna. NACA-RM-SE9D20. 1949.

    "After 7 minutes of icing, however, one antenna element experienced a vibratory failure"
    > review: NACA-RM-SE9D20

  • Kepple, W. L.: Determination of Aircraft Antenna Loads Produced by Natural Icing Conditions. NACA-RM-E7H26a, 1948.

    "The current use of improved airplane ice-prevention equipment has extended operations in icing conditions and thus accentuated the need for protecting aircraft antennas against structural failures resulting from ice accretions"
    > review: NACA-RM-E7H26a

  • Lewis, James P., and Blade, Robert J.: Experimental Investigation of Radome Icing and Icing Protection. NACA-RM-E52J31, 1953.

    "At present very little is known of the effect of radome icing on radar operation."
    > review: Component Icing

  • Lewis, James P.: An Analytical Study of Heat Requirements for Icing Protection of Radomes. NACA-RM-E53A22, 1953.

    "radome icing has serious effects on the radar operation"
    > review: NACA-RM-E53A22

Many current aircraft do not have ice protection for radomes and antennas. The effects of ice can generally be tolerated. However, a manufacturer has to prove the robustness through test and analysis. The shedding of ice off of these structures also need to be considered.

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