Abstract: A forced air aircraft de-icing system is described, which in a preferred embodiment includes a vehicle having a articulable aerial boom mounted thereon with an operator platform disposed on the distal end of the boom, a compressed air source including a compressor and power source operatively attached to the distal end of the boom at or below the operator platform, and a high speed air jet nozzle operatively attached to the outlet of the compressor for directing a high speed air jet against the surface of an aircraft in the removal of snow and ice therefrom.

Abstract: A system for the forced air de-icing of aircraft is described which includes a source of pressurized air and an axisymmetric, high momentum focused air jet nozzle having an inlet of diameter D and an outlet of diameter d with an axisymmetric contour therebetween defined by a converging portion of first radius near the inlet and a reflex portion of second radius near the outlet, the converging and reflex portions being connected by a convergent conical portion tangent to both the converging and reflex portions and having an angle of convergence equal to or less than 30.degree., wherein D is equal to or greater than 2d, the first radius is equal to or greater than D, the second radius is equal to or greater than d, and the length of the nozzle is equal to or greater than 1.5 D, and an insulated conduit for conducting pressurized air from the source to the nozzle.