Reality Episodes- Flying the Weather: Picking Up Ice

Reality Episodes- Flying the Weather: Picking Up Ice
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A risk is a form of future uncertainty resulting from a hazard, and icing increases risk for pilots. There is a need to manage such risks, with pilot judgment and actions being necessary to making decisions about risk management (Federal Aviation Administration, 2009). Aircraft structural icing is likely to occur when an aircraft encounters wet clouds rather than dry clouds, highlighting the need to understand the possible impact of icing potential in different locations. In particular, low-pressure areas are at a high risk of forming ice in clouds, and flights are hence more dangerous in such areas. Pilots should ideally use their judgment to assess risk, as actions to mitigate these risks offer a better chance to reduce impact of the hazards.
The issue of aircraft icing should be taken into account as weather is an environmental consideration for pilots. According to the Federal Aviation Administration (2009), the pilot needs to assess clouds and likelihood of icing affecting flights using current information and weather forecast. Additionally, the pilot needs to evaluate whether the anti-icing equipment is needed and operational and whether there are ratings for icing for the aircraft. Essentially, it is the human aspect that makes a difference on whether the strategies are effective when pilots encounter icing (Wilson & Binnema, 2014).
One of the challenges with aircraft icing is that it may be mistaken for rain while in flight, if the pilot relies on sounds, and the pilot needs to differentiate the two. There is a danger that if the ice freezes back, the wind shield will not adequately protect the aircraft. Additionally, a pilot needs more power as ...