Was it just me, or was the controller excessively blase about the
Mayday call?



I thought so too, it wasn't clear he was offering much in the way of
attention to her situation, and I heard someone at the ATC laughing in
the background at one point. I think her decision to fly on after
regaining control (and composure) was preferrable to trying to land
immediately while still in shock.

IMOH, a lot of you guys really need to lighten up; and remember the
purpose for which the tape was released--to remind the pilots attending
Wings Seminars that: "ice is nasty stuff!"

The pilot did enough things right, under adverse conditions, to effect a
recovery--and the icing level was at high enough altitude to do so. It
worked, the pilot is more experienced as a result, and the real message is
to take predictions and reports of ice seriously--and inflate them as
necessary for the relative size of the aircraft.

That probably would have been the topic of this discussion if Anthony--a/k/a
mxsmanic--had not intervened. He was become a VERY effective Troll, as
evidenced by his ability to lead and occasionally to terminate discussion
threads--usually by starting a new conversation more to his liking.

As to the controller, he got other traffic through his sector and out of the
way--which I presume was his primary duty--and made appropriate suggestions.
Sounded good to me.

In summary, remember the purpose of the tape.

Let's all try to remember that old saying, occasionally attributed to Will
Rogers: "Be careful arguing with a fool, people might not be able to tell
the difference."

Peter