Do not hold in icing conditions with which components extended?

• A. Slats and/or flaps
• B. Landing gear
• C. Spoilers
• D. Antennas

Answer: (A)

Extending leading-edge devices like slats and flaps makes the wing more sensitive to ice. Ice that forms on these surfaces changes the wing’s camber and increases roughness, which alters how air flows over the wing and shifts the stall behavior. When you’re holding in icing conditions with slats or flaps extended, ice can rapidly accumulate on the extended surfaces and in the hinges or gaps, leading to a loss of lift, higher stall speed, or an unpredictable, abrupt stall. Since those devices are used to generate more lift at lower speeds, icing them undermines stability and control, making holding in icing conditions unsafe. Other components like landing gear, spoilers, or antennas don’t have the same direct impact on the wing’s lift and stall characteristics in this situation, so they’re less critical to the holding condition.