Any machine flies into icing above 15,000 feet in the tropics, and the supercooled raindrops are big too.. Sure, ATR's pick up ice, just like any aircraft, and with the best cruise levels around 21,000 - 22,000 (maximum 25,000, but not really a proposition in a heavy 300 because she struggles) you have to trade altitude to recover speed for safety. Only operated in the tropics, where the freezing level was high, so can't speak for the colder climes with the FL on the ground, but they went well up there with anti-ice and de-ice protection. The cousins in NZ with their later models and 72's would know more about the abilities in ice down low. If you havn't flown them, don't criticise them, as you are probably only repeating someone elses predjudices.
Last edited by frigatebird; 26th Jan 2010 at 21:31.