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Posted for "F. Barry Knotts" <bknotts@buckeye-express.com>:
It's a reasonable question. I fly out of Toledo, Ohio. It's got to be
Ice Central, USA. Seven months of the year it is a constant threat, the
other five months of the year, just possible. I don't like it. I have
a C340 that is fully de-iced, carries ice reasonably well, and I NEVER,
NEVER fly into very likely icing conditions. (Which is different than
"known icing" or "forcast icing.") I spend alot of time going over the
weather products when I flight plan. There are a lot of new products
that help. (Check out http://adds.aviationweather.noaa.gov/icing/ and
http://aviationweather.gov/exp/cip/ ) But, if I think that icing is
likely, I drive or don't go. Now that keeps me out of icing most of the
time, but once or twice a year I get into it. There's nothing more
reassuring while you're looking for non-icing air in a climb or descent
or turn, than to see the boots kick off flakes of ice. IMHO, in my
neighborhood, de-icing equipment is mandatory if you want to fly 12
months of the year. On the other hand, I used to fly out of San
Diego...never saw icing, never got into it, and didn't need de-icing
equipment.
So a lot depends on where you are, and where you are going. Can you not
go? What's your risk tolerance? Would you mind staying overnight in
Wheeling and going on to Detroit tomorrow? If you plan to fly into the
Great Lakes or Pacific Northwest regions often, (You didn't mention
where you are based.) do it. I'm not familiar with Ice Management
Systems, but I'm going to educate myself.
Looks like another reason I need to hit the lottery.
Good luck! Let us know what you decide and if you install it, how the
installation goes.
Barry Knotts
LIV-P, Conti TSIO-550, 20% (& jealous of your 95%!)
For those of you who are veterans of winter cross-country flying - is
installing such a system something that should be seriously considered?
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