Originally Posted by
AlexJR
With all of these conditions I think it is important to experience them first of all with an instructor so that if you are caught out then you know what to expect and handle it without panicking. Last winter it started snowing heavily from high level which was quite stunning to fly through with no issues - good viz with big flakes. Another time during circuits a far wetter/harder snow came across the airfield and we decided to stay local until it passed.
The lesson was to stay local if the forecast was uncertain - go up to experience the conditions but don't plan for lunch on the IOW as you might not be able to safely get home!
I am reading some of these posts, and I ask myself what was you guys doing in your principles of flight and Met classes?
I believe the saying, there are old pilots, and there are bold pilots, you won't often find bold pilots that are old pilots.
Visibility is one separate issue, and flying on a very hot summer day trough light rain shower would be fine. But if you find yourself asking the question if this is safe or not, than it probably isn't safe.
I use the same logic if I should turn on anti-ice or not, if I am in doubt, I turn it on. I am not going to sit there and second guess myself.
Icing conditions can occur at temperatures of up to + 10 C. Even flying in warmer air, you can have super-cooled water droplets.
On a light aircraft you have no good ice-detection system, and no good reliable OAT measurement. The chance that you are flying at an altitude that has OAT of less than +10 C is great. You have very little information to help you make a wise decision, and it seems coming here on PpRune, and asking for advice, is an even less wise decision, as some of the answers I have seen here are scary dangerous.
What effects does light icing have on your aircraft?
Decreased lift, Increased weight, decreased thrust and increased drag - the effects of this are loosing altitude, loosing airspeed, loosing lift, increased stall speed. Flying with even small amount of ice on your aircraft will make you a test pilot, and if you are a pilot flying a C172, I don't think thats what you want to do.
Listening to various advice from here can get you killed, as icing does kill many pilots every year, not respecting the forces of mother nature.
Remember you are flying around in an aircraft with ONE engine, no anti-icing protection for either engine or the aerodynamic surfaces of the aircraft.
Also to believe that flying with an instructor is going to teach you how to fly in rain/weather conditions, what nonsense. Do you believe the engine or the aerodynamic surfaces will withstand icing just because you have an instructor with you? Most instructors are not always that experienced, as many are fairly low experienced looking to get hours so they can get airline jobs. Their knowledge and experience is limited.
Any liquid such as rain on the surfaces of the aircraft will change the aircraft's normal performance, ice and snow ever more, so why would you want to risk it? In addition if you go under the wrong type of clouds, you could experience a bumpy ride with the risk of downdrafts.
My saying is, if in doubt, there is no doubt, don't do it. Aviation does not often give you a second chance if you mess it up.
Think good airman-ship.