Jon W. – Diamond DA42 FIKI TKS Testimonial

Jon W. lives in the Midwest, and primarily flies throughout the Midwest, East Coast and the South. He owns a 2006 Diamond DA42 equipped with Flight Into Known Icing (FIKI) certified TKS Ice Protection, which he has been flying for over 4 years.

How did you get started in aviation?

I live in Sioux Falls and mostly use the airplane to commute to Chicago and Minneapolis.

Why did you choose TKS?

I got into a serious icing situation coming into KPWK in a Diamond DA40.  Two minutes in the clouds and the airplane looked like an icicle when I got on the ground.

What does TKS do for your mission?

TKS has definitely opened the flying envelope. I fly year-round and am no longer nervous pushing through a layer to get on top. Still, I avoid serious icing conditions.

Have you had any memorable experiences with TKS?

It was a simple approach into Sioux Falls. The airplane picked up a lot of ice on unprotected surfaces during the descent . Where the panels are it was perfectly clean. That definitely gave me confidence in the system.