Originally Posted by IO540
Do they have pitot heat?
What do you think?
I have no idea, I don't fly small fixed wing.
Are the Static ports heated?
Not normally a problem where they are.
But it could be a problem?
Are they aware of the weight of ice that might accumulate?
If you load your plane like the average Warrior with 4 people crossing the Channel on a sunny Sunday on the way to LeTouquet, that might well be a problem
Agreed the weight of ice is relatively light, but it accumulates where loads are not designed for and would change moments of inertia and hence handling
Are they aware of how suddenly and how quickly ice can accumulate?
In stratus cloud, not all that "suddenly"
So you only fly in stratus cloud?, Never in cumulostratus? Do you have radar to check for unforecast large CUs, TCUs, CBs?
Have they seen the damage chunks of ice do when they disembark?
Disembark from where?
I am not familiar with your a/c type so I couldn't say for your case. But I have seen what damage chunks of ice have done to engines and airframes.
Are they sure that control surfaces won't freeze up?
They would if you do nothing about it
So there is a risk of frozen control surfaces?
Can you accurately measure how much ice you have accumulated?
You could climb out with a tape measure, I suppose.
You are not taking this seriously are you? All the aircraft I have seen with an icing clearance have a means of measuring ice accumulation.
Are you sure the carb heat is still doing its job?
Now, that one gives the game away. I hate to be impolite but you should get back to FS2004
Carb icing is not the same thing as structural icing. Carb icing is caused by the temperature drop in the carb venturi. Structural icing is caused by flying through air containing supercooled water droplets.
First of all I use a proper computer that won't run FS2004
. Besides real flying is far more fun. Having had the pleasure of flying an aircraft with a carb heat gauge, I have noticed times when the carb heat needle doesn't get out of the yellow, even with full carb heat. OK so it is rare, but might well be an issue, depending on the sort of a/c you are flying.
I don't particularly care whether or not you fly in icing and whether you licence and/or aircraft allow it. I am merely pointing out various points that are brought up when icing is discussed. If you are confident that you have the experience, qualifications and equipment to answer all these points (and others I might have missed) then good luck to you.