Originally Posted by
Ottopilot
As a former ATR driver, I have to take offense to that statement. The ATR was and still is certified for known icing. It is not certified for severe icing; nor is any aircraft. The ATR was never dangerous in icing. If you are talking about the one icing event to judge the ATR on, remember that they were holding in severe icing with the flaps down. The CA was in the back talking to the flight attendant and the FO was listening to rock music on the ADF. Who was responsible for the crash: the ATR or the pilots?
Clearly the ATR is unable to handle American ice. It is, however, perfectly capable of handling Finnish ice, as Finncomm operates them in you'd-better-believe-there's-icing-conditions without any difficulties...
In any event, small planes are not as safe/unsafe as airliners, there just aren't the safety margins. Look at certification. How many light twins can lose and engine and be guaranteed to fly out of it? How many planes have ETOPS level back ups? Radar, deicing, TCAS. EGPWS... the list goes on.
True, although Garmin is adding features similar to those to their wonderscreens. (overkill)
I still believe that it takes a different kind of mindset to fly a small airplane, and that they can, despite the lack of the margins, be operated safely. Light twins just have to be flown on profile.
Oh, and there *is* a twin that has pretty good single-engine performance and a strong (9G) airframe:
Unfortunately, it burns 30 gallons an hour and proceeds at a stately 150 knots on a good day.