Airline Delays Seen in New De-Icing Plan

The federal government’s plan for keeping airliner wings free of ice and snow has a price--more delays for wintertime passengers.

The Federal Aviation Administration is expected to announce its new de-icing plan in the next few weeks. Airlines then would have to submit their own proposals for approval and to implement them by Nov. 1, in time for winter flying.

According to airline industry sources, the FAA’s final de-icing regulation will lead to:

* A significant increase in the use of the so-called No. 2 de-icing fluid commonly used in Europe. The fluid has a longer staying power than the No. 1 fluid long used in the United States.

* Building secondary de-icing facilities near the ends of runways at airports that can accommodate such structures.

* The use of holdover time charts to give pilots guidelines on how long an aircraft can stand in freezing weather without needing to be de-iced a second time.

* In certain conditions, aircraft will be inspected physically to make certain ice has not formed.