Re the Icing Clearance issue.. .Historically, AAEE has conducted several 'successful' helicopter icing trials, resulting in potential icing clearances that generally depend on a number of modifications classified as Essential, Highly Desirable or Desirable.. .Problem comes when the end-user's bean counters look at cost-benefit. Hoary old example is: 'no need to fit all this expensive kit, since the weather statistics conclude that, in the low level forward battle area support role on the North German plain, the kit will never be needed.'(OK, I know this dates me!) Of course this ignores the peacetime need to get fom A to B as general aviation traffic expeditiously for comms, exercise or training.. .So even the 'Essential' modifications don't get done.. .It is of course, equally frustrating for the test pilots, scientists and the guys on frontline squadrons. Occasionally, they all get lucky and discover that a clearance can be given without further modification.. .The HC2 saga postdates my time in the system and I don't know what would have been particularly required for that aircraft type. . .There has always been a tendency to blame the flight test personnel for lack of clearances, but in my experience trials were generally reported and clearances recommended pretty speedily on completion of the flying, but the progress to funding the modifications, or else negotiating a Service Deviation, much slower. . .Arguably the 'system' failed, in that the promise of an icing clearance was one that was unlikely to be honoured if it looked like costing real money.. .To change the subject a little, the system continued to fail the unfortunate vitims of this distressing accident. The two reviewing officers erred in law in imposing a childlike logic to determine their viewpoint and to overturn the finding of the BoI.. .They should now have the moral courage to admit their mistake, without having to subject the families not only of the crew, but also their passengers, to the unpleasantness of further protracted legal arguments.