John Doe wrote:
Ok, I know this is one of those "it depends" answers, but I'm curious as to
what folks are willing to do in the winter time.

Assumptions:

Single engine piston aircraft with NO de-icing equipment.

Situation:

It's wintertime. You want to fly XC and there are midlevel clouds in the
forecast with the potential for icing to occur.

It looks like the band is thin enough to climb through and cruise in the
clear above the weather.

SO:

1) If the cloud layer is forecast to potentially have icing, can you legally
and would you climb through the layer to get up high for your trip? how
thick a layer, type of forecast, time spent in the layer, etc. What would
you be willing to risk transition through possible icing?
**A. Known icing vs forecast are two different animals. It has been my
experience that ice generally appears in longitudinal bands of varying
depth and width. I'll make a climb thru the clouds watching for any
signs of ice and with my anti ice on. Most of the time I can get to on
top conditions or out of the ice band before any serious problems
occur. If I am cruising and start picking up ice, I'll usually ask for
higher...my reasoning being the temps will drop even more reducing the
possibility of more ice and if not, I can always go lower where
hopefully the temps will get above the ice range. Either way, an
altitude change nearly always cures the problem. Over the mountains you
are limited in altitude reduction?

2) Would that change any if those same conditions were now reported icing
from a recent PIREP?
**B If there is a current PIREP of ice, I'll get a higher altitude
rather than take a chance of taking on a load that I can't handle. Like
I said, horizontal bands of ice and if you hit it the long way, you'll
be in the ice for ??? If you penetrate it perpendicular, your exposure
to ice is much shorter. However, even brief exposure to severe ice can
bring you down like an aluminum snowflake and not very pretty!

3) If it's reported, can you transit the cloud layer legally?
**C Not unless you have an aircraft certified for known icing.

4) Let's say yoru trip starts off VFR but by the time you get to your
destination, a cloud layer has formed that has reported icing in it. Can or
or would you be willing to transit this layer to land at this destionation
or would you turn around or divert to land someplace to stay out of the
clouds?
**D. Not this pilot! I'll take a divert rather than drop down thru
known icing. Twice I have been forced to the ground with rapid ice
accumulation and was lucky to make it to the end of a runway both
times. I've picked up severe ice in a number of aircraft that had
anti-ice and de-ice equipment and still did some serious perspiring
while I got thru it. Ain't something you can fool with for long without
going to the ground like an ice cube!
PIREPS are the most reliable source of icing information and I'll
always ask/give them even if I get just a trace. I flew regular freight
routes in the Great Lakes, and in the Rockies with single and twin
engine aircraft for years.

Thanks.