Definition
A type of aircraft ski designed to be attached to the airplane by clamping directly onto the existing wheel and tire, rather than replacing the wheel assembly. The wheel remains in place inside the ski, allowing the aircraft to operate from snow or ice without permanent landing gear modification.
Plain English
A ski that clamps onto the airplane's wheel so the aircraft can land on snow, without having to remove the wheel first.
Context Anchor
Seen in discussions of winter aircraft equipment, especially for small airplanes operating from snow-covered fields or frozen surfaces.
Derivation
From 'clamp,' meaning to grip or hold something tightly in place. The name describes how the ski attaches: it clamps onto the wheel rather than replacing it.
Why Pilots Care
Enables safe operations on snow without requiring permanent ski installation or wheel removal.
Grounding Statement
Picture the wheel still in place, but with a snow ski fastened around it so the airplane rides more on the ski than on the tire.
Intuition Check
Do not read “clamp-on” as meaning casual or temporary in the household sense. On an aircraft, a clamp-on ski must be a proper approved installation, not just something attached for convenience.
Example Sentence 1
The bush pilot fitted clamp-on skis to his Cub before the first heavy snowfall.
Example Sentence 2
Using clamp-on skis allowed the bush pilot to access the remote lake in winter.