Patent ID: 7124983

Claim:
An electrical ice protection system for an aircraft operable in at least a nominal power condition and an off-nominal power condition, and including a structure having at least an outer skin, the ice protection system comprising: a plurality of electrical heaters disposed at least proximate the aircraft structure outer skin and configured to heat at least a portion of the aircraft structure outer skin upon energization thereof, the plurality of electrical heaters including at least a first set of heaters and a second set of heaters; and a controller to determine whether the aircraft is in the nominal power condition or the off-nominal power condition, the controller coupled to each of the electrical heaters and in response to the determined power condition, to: selectively energize the first set of heaters in a manner that the first set of heaters are operated in a fully-evaporative anti-ice mode, and selectively energize the second set of heaters in a manner that the second set of heaters are operated in: (i) a wet running anti-ice mode, if the aircraft is in the nominal power condition, and (ii) a de-ice mode, if the aircraft is in the off-nominal power condition.