SE airplanes in clouds - near freezing level

Kusi (us-ppl, sep, d.-ir) wrote:
Those of you, who frequently fly SE airplanes without deicing
equipment, without turbo or second engine but use their IR Ticket to
poke around in water loaded clouds at or near freezing level:

What are your strategies to cope with the weather ?

Situation1: You climb through low clouds, but pass the freezing level
on top in clear sky.
After flying at -20°C for a while, you start your descend into the
water loaded clouds.
How quickly does the plane ice up? The airplane skin is relatively
small, so the exposed mass should be quickly warmed.
What are your personal experiences with the type of cloud? A heavy
loaded nimbostratus will have a different effect as a cirrus, for sure.
How do you preplan such a flight?

Situation2: While climbing through subcooled low clouds, what is the
most practical strategy? Climb further to reach real cold layers, which
are almost dry?
Quickly descend to reach warmer layers?
It depends?

Personally, I'll decend through it to lower air but will not climb up
through it unless its an altitude climb (i.e. I'll climb from 8,000 to
12,000 but not on departure where I can't just decend back down). I'll
file enroute near the freezing level if I'm sure MEAs and ATC will be
flexible with altitudes.

Despite the "modern" FAA teaching method of ice avoidance (i.e. just
stay out), anyone who uses their IFR ticket is going to encouter ice at
some point. Just keep your options open, make sure you have warm air
below.

-Robert

-Robert