How should you escape ice in stratus clouds?

• A. Changing altitude by +/- 3,000'
• B. Going around them
• C. Climb to above 30,000'
• D. Descend to surface

Answer: (A)

Icing in stratus clouds comes from supercooled liquid water droplets. The quickest, most reliable way to get out of it is to leave the layer by changing altitude, typically about three thousand feet up or down, until you reach a region with little or no icing risk. Moving to a different altitude often places you in air with a different temperature-moisture profile, reducing or eliminating the supercooled droplets that cause ice buildup.

Going around the cloud can help in some situations, but it isn’t always feasible or effective in thick, widespread stratus. Jumping to very high altitude (above 30,000 feet) isn’t practical for most aircraft and doesn’t guarantee you’ll escape the icing layer. Descending to the surface may keep you in the same cloud layer if it extends to the ground, so it isn’t a reliable cure.