Why are some aircraft able to fly in extremely cold climates (such as the Poles)? What causes them to not freeze over?

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I am a huge fan of flight simulation games (and aircraft mechanics in general), and this is a question that has always been interesting to me. Why are some crafts able to fly in super cold areas without freezing over and inevitably plummeting, while others have basically no chance of staying airborne?

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Anonymous 0 Comments

Getting the plane to start and take off in extreme cold is the trick. Planes have a minimum temperature requirement below which they will likely not start. When operating at or near that temperature the pilot may choose not to turn off the engines to ensure they are able to take off.

Source: Flown on small planes in the Canadian Arctic for work.

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