Apparently, the Piper M700 has this. Is that unique to that aircraft? How does it work?

Various forms of electro-impulse de-ice have been around a long time. I think the first such system was patented in the 1930's.

When I was at Cessna, we had it on the horizontal tail of a Citation III. When operated on the ground, you could hear it from at least half a mile away, with the engines running!

There are coils imbedded behind the leading edge and a capacitor bank, that when rapidly discharged through the coils creates a strong electromagnetic field that thumps the skin, and anything on it.

A colleague had a desktop test section about 9" long. If it was pointed leading edge up, you could put a penny on the leading edge and it would fire it into the ceiling tiles. He had enough pennies imbedded in the ceiling over his desk he could buy lunch at the cafeteria!

There are other types of electrically actuated mechanical de-icing systems as well, some with actuators, and some coils in flexible boots (like pneumatic boots but electrically activated). I don't know what the M700 has.

Phil

Phil / are you related to Mike?

Mike's (well mannered) brother.

viewtopic.php?p=3421637

I recall someone saying that the Germans tried it during WWII, but ran into delamination problems with the aircraft skins.
Later, our urology colleagues borrowed the idea for successfully fragmenting kidney stones.

TN

I'm surprised this is used on Citations, I'd think it would result in fatigue failures eventually if they're banging an aluminum tail.

Hopefully the urologists are using ultrasonic shock waves rather than electrical ones!

I'm surprised this is used on Citations, I'd think it would result in fatigue failures eventually if they're banging an aluminum tail.

Hopefully the urologists are using ultrasonic shock waves rather than electrical ones!