Next to poor visibility and low ceilings, ice is one of winter’s most common weather hazards. A recent study of icing accidents showed that 71 percent of the pilots were instrument rated, averaged 2000 hours, and over half of the flights received a proper icing forecast. This strongly suggests that ice is not well understood or is ignored.
Clearly, pilots need a review. In this article we’ll cover the topic from an aviation meteorologist’s perspective and focus only on the things you need to know. Once you understand the meteorological workings, you can couple that knowledge with your own experience and knowledge to stay safe in winter IMC conditions.
