IT IS NOW TIME TO GET RID OF BOOTS in all planes or severely limit those types to trace or light icing exposure for less than 2 minutes.
WHILE Icing can bring down any plane, it seems that heated wings/airfoils are the way to go.
OR make the airfoil so robust aerodynamically as not to need anti-ice.
I guess there should be a ice detector on the tailplane!!!!!!
Jet icing is a complete different aspect, different aerodynamics, different ice build up, a complete different beast when dealing with a sweapt back wing. In many jets, you rarely use wing anti-ice - Especially on the big ones. I've only used the wing anti-ice maybe twice in 4 years flying the 744. Mostly as a precaution after retracting LEDs after slushy TOs.
When you are dealing with jet speeds you also tend to use ram rise in temp for your advantage, not to mention that you can usually climb out of conditions pretty quickly, where as the turboprops tends to hang arround them longer and at slower speeds.
I really don't think that they have enough extra capacity from the engines to operate heated wings. the wing is also ussually much thicker and has a different ice accretion profile than a jet's thinner airfoil. Technically, ice builds on smaller surfaces quicker than on bigger ones. That is why wipers, window frames, temp probes are all good indicators, and that is why really really large planes like the C5 galaxy don't have wing anti-ice. Proportionately, the turboprop airfoil is thicker than a jets.
Besides, heated wings or inflatable boots, they both only de-ice the same region. I don't think the method matters.
Icing can be quite a challenge in that region (great lakes region, KBUF, KSYR, KROC), and having flown a turboprop arround those parts, it can certainly be challenging in the winter months. I remember buggin the cruise speed, then blowing the boots when you dropped about 20 to 30 knots below that. Used to keep us out of trouble.
Having moderate or greater icing during the time on the approach when you are slowing down and exposing un-protected aerodynamic surfaces would have really perked my ears up. That is what has done most turbo-props in during icing conditions, regardless of what the effect was (aileron reversal, tailplane stall, whatever). Just by looking at anti-ice equipment on most planes you gain a sense that it is designed and placed at the exposure points
during cruise speeds. It really is not meant for prolonged, slow configured flight. Prolonged being dependant on rate of accretion. Even light icing will do you in if you spend enough time in it flying slow.
You can spend ages in even moderate icing as long as it is at cruise speeds, in which case, correctly functioning ice protection should keep your airframe very clean. I don't think it would be profesional or prudent, but I would certainly not be as concerned as I would when flying slow.
Regardless, a sad end to many lives - RIP.
