Narrative:

Dispatched with anti-ice system inoperative. Discussion with dispatch indicated no icing conditions en route. I asked about high clouds above the freezing level and was told only concern were clouds over dfw, but no problems due to warm temperatures. However, on climb out from mci, only with difficulty were we able to remain clear of clouds with ram air temperature at or below 6 degrees C. Also during initial cruise, there were layers of cirrus that although thin enough that anti-ice was not required, there was no way for me to know conditions would not change for the worse. In retrospect, we should have been flight planned at a lower flight level (FL180-FL230) with warmer temperatures. Upon landing, I discussed this with on-duty dispatcher. His question was 'where did we encounter ice?' I see a difference of forecast icing conditions, used by dispatch, and the definition of icing conditions in operations manual volume 1 for the MD80. Flying in cirrus at FL350 requires the use of anti-ice on an MD80, but as I recall, does not for some other model aircraft. Is dispatch aware of this? It would affect dispatching aircraft with anti-ice inoperative.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN S80 PIC RPT WHEREIN HE QUESTIONS THE VALIDITY OF THE ACR'S INTERP OF THE MEL FOR DISPATCHING ANY ACFT VERSUS AN S80 WITH ENG AIR ANTI-ICE NOT OPERATING, SUBJECT TO 'NO ICING CONDITIONS FORECAST' ENRTE. MCI, MO.

Narrative: DISPATCHED WITH ANTI-ICE SYS INOP. DISCUSSION WITH DISPATCH INDICATED NO ICING CONDITIONS ENRTE. I ASKED ABOUT HIGH CLOUDS ABOVE THE FREEZING LEVEL AND WAS TOLD ONLY CONCERN WERE CLOUDS OVER DFW, BUT NO PROBS DUE TO WARM TEMPS. HOWEVER, ON CLBOUT FROM MCI, ONLY WITH DIFFICULTY WERE WE ABLE TO REMAIN CLR OF CLOUDS WITH RAM AIR TEMP AT OR BELOW 6 DEGS C. ALSO DURING INITIAL CRUISE, THERE WERE LAYERS OF CIRRUS THAT ALTHOUGH THIN ENOUGH THAT ANTI-ICE WAS NOT REQUIRED, THERE WAS NO WAY FOR ME TO KNOW CONDITIONS WOULD NOT CHANGE FOR THE WORSE. IN RETROSPECT, WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN FLT PLANNED AT A LOWER FLT LEVEL (FL180-FL230) WITH WARMER TEMPS. UPON LNDG, I DISCUSSED THIS WITH ON-DUTY DISPATCHER. HIS QUESTION WAS 'WHERE DID WE ENCOUNTER ICE?' I SEE A DIFFERENCE OF FORECAST ICING CONDITIONS, USED BY DISPATCH, AND THE DEFINITION OF ICING CONDITIONS IN OPS MANUAL VOLUME 1 FOR THE MD80. FLYING IN CIRRUS AT FL350 REQUIRES THE USE OF ANTI-ICE ON AN MD80, BUT AS I RECALL, DOES NOT FOR SOME OTHER MODEL ACFT. IS DISPATCH AWARE OF THIS? IT WOULD AFFECT DISPATCHING ACFT WITH ANTI-ICE INOP.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.