Re: #51
In my opinion, I think that the latest generation of pilots are not educated/trained about how to handle icing conditions. Witness the latest NTSB recommendation about turning on the boots at the first indication of icing, and that "bridging" is a myth.
I also think that the newer generation of "smallish" commuter turboprops/regional jets are not capable of handling prolonged icing conditions because the designers figured that the aircraft would be through the icing conditions in short order.
I also think that the wing designs have a lot to do with ice carrying capabilities.
I spent many hours in DC-3s and DC-4s in moderate to severe icing conditions. We'd wait for about 1/2 inch of ice to accumulate on the wings and then we'd cycle the boots to break it off.
In the Winter, we carried extra alcohol for the props and windshield. If it was rough, half the alcohol ended up on the cockpit floor. The sound of ice hitting the fuselage as it slung off the props was reassuring in a strange way.
The main point is that the old prop-liners were designed to carry and shed ice for extended periods because they couldn't get above the weather. Those of us who flew them learned how to deal with icing. The wing and props were not as efficient. Airspeeds had to be watched. If we were still carrying ice during landing at SLC or DEN for instance, approach and landing speeds were increased.
Enroute, the general rule was to climb to colder air if possible. The ice that couldn't be shed by the boots and alcohol would shed by sublimation. If the weather was reported to be really bad, we just postponed takeoff until we got better reports.
The worst mistake was to turn on the boots and let them run in heavy icing because "bridging" was a very real concern. If the boots were cycling beneath the ice buildup, you were in big trouble.