Definition
The process of removing ice, frost, or snow that has already accumulated on an aircraft's surfaces, typically using heated fluid, mechanical means, or onboard systems such as pneumatic boots that break ice off the leading edges in flight.
Plain English
Getting ice off the aircraft after it has formed. This is different from preventing ice in the first place.
Context Anchor
Seen in icing discussions, winter ground operations, and aircraft equipment descriptions for handling ice that has already formed.
Derivation
From the prefix 'de-' meaning 'remove' or 'reverse,' combined with 'icing.' The word literally means 'to take the ice off.' This helps distinguish it from 'anti-icing,' which means preventing ice from forming in the first place.
Why Pilots Care
Ice changes the shape of wings and control surfaces, sharply reducing lift and increasing the risk of stall or loss of control.
Intuition Check
De-icing does not mean the aircraft is protected from all future ice. It means ice that is already present is being removed.
Example Sentence 1
Before departure on a cold morning, the crew requested de-icing to remove frost from the wings and tail.
Example Sentence 2
When encountering icing in flight, the pilot activated the wing de-icing boots to shed the accumulated ice.