Re: FAR 91.157 Operating in icing conditions

Matthew S. Whiting wrote:
> O. Sami Saydjari wrote:
>
> > ...snip...
> >
> > It says "...no pilot may fly--
> > (1) Under IFR into konwn or forecast moderate icing conditions; or
> > (2) Under VFR into known light or moderate icing conditions..."
> >
> > This seems odd.  Why do you suppose the standards are different for 
> > IFR and VFR ("moderate" vs "light or moderate)?  Icing affects a 
> > pilots ability to control the aircraft, so I do not see how instrument 
> > training allows one to venture into worse conditions.
>
>
> Well, I make no claim to understand that minds of the FAR writers, but 
> here's my opinion.  It is more likely to inadvertantly encounter icing 
> when flying IFR in IMC.  Pretty hard to accumulate ice if you aren't 
> flying in visible moisture (clouds or precip), so if you are VFR you 
> really have no excuse to get into even light icing conditions.  ... snip...


You can easily be in VMC, ceiling 2000 feet, visibility 3 miles, and be 
flying in freezing rain.