Icing, De-Icing, all that Jazz

[Tyler012]

Someone answer me this, does Icing effect your aircraft WHATSOEVER in the simulators?  I recall one time when I was flying in FS2004 I had cranked the Icing option up to Severe, and my Boeing 737 would still fly with no Anti-Ice turned on.  I wasn't paying close attention to my gauges but from some experience, and watching a few aircraft disaster documentaries, notably one where the pilot didn't activate the anti-ice and ended up crashing into a river in Washington, and several where no anti-ice resulted in stalls.  So whats the verdict? Can I fly in FSX with a 4-inch thick sheet of ice on my aileron?

[SeanTK]

To my knowledge, the only adverse effects that icing has in the simulator is the potential for your pitot tube to ice up, resulting in your airspeed indicator not working.

[BAW0343]

If you really want to test if there is icing this is what you should try.

With clear weather, stall your aircraft and record your Angle of Attack.

Then with severe icing, do the same test and see if you don't get a different AOA when you stall.