Ways to improve despatch rate?

Sure, but a used Meridian c.1000hrs (vs 3600TBO) would cost about 25% more than a DA-42.

Peter wrote:

How do you find the IR camera?

From the promotional photos I have seen, it appears to do both IR (thermal imaging) and visible light amplification (as in the 3rd gen NV goggles) and it seems to superimpose the two images.

It therefore ought to offer some visibility through fog.

I have flown in a SR22TN with Perspective that had the IR camera feature. IMHO, it was a toy and not practical. It only displayed on the MFD and was not useful as I would want it on the PFD in my direct view to be useful.

It is true that the UK is typically below 0deg at the minimum airway levels available, therefore de-icing becomes a must for a high despatch rate. However it is also true that the freezing level doesn't go much below 3000' in the UK for most of the year. If you are prepared to fly in IMC OCAS at IFR minimums then most of England would be OK, although parts of Wales and Scotland would present problems. Flying like this is OK if you are solo, but passengers don't usually take to low-level turbulent IMC.

The earlier point about being based at an airfield with ILS is very true. Otherwise you need to cancel not because the journey out is difficult but because you are not sure about getting back.

The IR camera: I don't use it often. It is available on the MFD only as said above.Only on some near 0/0 departures from small uncontrolled aerodromes with no-one there I use it to check the runway by taxiing up/down the runway to make sure there is no-body (no animals) on the runway. On any approach the camera could help with very low visibilities, but when the vis/RVR drops below the EU-OPS standard I don't fly/land there.

The difference between the TKS systems and the FIKI in the SR22T is that my FIKI system is approved for flight into known icing and as such equipped. Double pumps, adjusted stall warning system, ice-detection lights shining at the wings, etc.

True: if the freezing level is at 3000 feet and above MSA, then you have an escape and you could fly there. But that is not comfortable for long flights. Better is to outclimb the weather to e.g. FL180.

Sometimes FL180 is not enough to outclimb the weather. If needed (not with passengers in the back) I will continue to climb to FL250. I personally don't use masks and will continue to use the O2D2 pulse regulator, but will set it to F5 or higher (face mask setting) to boost the oxygen. I will then keep a very good lookout of the O2 levels.

I only have a stormscope. If CBs are forecasted, I have a problem. It then depends. Are they going to most likely be isolated? Can I outclimb them and fly above? What is the overall weather forecast picture? If not good, I don't fly. But just by having CBs forecastes in the TAFs, I will not cancel. I will have a very good look at what the weather will do and what kind of escapes I have.

I don't fly through thunderstorms and CBs. But if the weather is too bad for IFR flying through, there is usually good visibility and cloud base at the ground so I might be able to fly below the weather and zigzag around storm cells.

Flying through smaller cumulus clouds I do up to a certain size/developing stage. TCU clouds can be very turbulent and dangerous and could well develop into nasty stuff very fast or be a problem already, so I divert around them, but if they are small I might fly through. Since I don't have the weather radar I would love to have the weatherradar stuff on my iPad with me with a sat link. Then I still have the time delay, but at least could get a better picture.

As Peter points out, you don't get much return on an upgrade to an old airframe. I think you need to look at it from a serious business perspective. If the benefits don't cover the cost it isn't worth doing. On the other hand, if dispatch rate significantly increases your business it may even be worth investing in a serious all weather machine.

It is important to point out that there are NO aircraft certified for severe icing. By it's very definition, Severe Icing means you cannot continue to fly in it. What matters in icing is to have some form of anti or de-icing system and some good escape strategies.

The significance of having a FIKI system is that you can legally depart or land in freezing fog for example. Some of the non-fiki systems are not so good. Cirrus for example added and changed a number of panels and upgraded the pump systems along with the extra alternator in order to reach FIKI. Another difference is that FIKI systems are tested in actual icing conditions (flying behind a spray boom for example) while a non approved system is just bolted on for show. I wouldn't depart into a forecast icing situation without equipment that I knew to be tested in actual icing. It's plain stupid.

Just to make sure: I don't fly when severe icing or severe freezing rain is forecasted.

The difference between many of the TKS systems and the FIKI approved system on the SR22 is that the TKS is not only implemented on the left/right wings, but also on the leading edges of the horizontal and vertical stabilizers as well as on the front screen/window (separately from the propellor protection that also sprays a little TKS on the front window).

Plus: you get to see on your MFD the amount of TKS fluids left in the left/right wing-tanks and how much time you have left based on the flow-rate of the TKS fluid flowing out.

Drawback: TKS fluid is not available endlessly, so you theoretically might run out. The TKS fluid is expensive! It is cheap to make, but the certified stuff is sold at very high prices.

The significance of having a FIKI system is that you can legally depart or land in freezing fog for example. [my emphasis]

I'd like to see a reference for that, in European regs.

The TKS fluid is expensive! It is cheap to make, but the certified stuff is sold at very high prices.

I think a lot of people have discovered what it is actually made of, and they buy the "normal" version

I use the "proper paperwork" one in my TKS but I have only a prop TKS so it doesn't matter. I bought a 20 litre drum for about €200, some years ago, and I am about halfway through it. It came from silmid.com.

I know the TKS system for the TB20 also comes with covers for the fuel tank vents. Whether this was done for a real reason I don't know (the company, CAV Aerospace, is very non-communicative) but it sounds like a very good idea. I recall reading about these icing over (don't know which type of plane) and after some tens of minutes the engine stopped... You can get the vents separately (at an eye watering price, like everything from CAV) and I know of non-TKS TB20s who had them fitted anyway.

you get to see on your MFD the amount of TKS fluids left in the left/right wing-tanks

Is it stored in the wings?

In the TB20 it is in the boot (the luggage space in the back). You get a digital readout of how much is left, but I don't know how that works. Probably just a timer on the electric TKS pump....

Well, flight into known icing is a difficult subject on with what kind of aircraft you are allowed to do what. When I was flying the Piper Arrow III Turbo, it did not have any de-icing and I would still fly in winter time if I was sure not to end up in frontal weather and with an escape to decent to above MSA and get rid of any ice buildup.

In the end, your POH will most likely prohibit you from flying in icing conditions?

The big issue is: what are "known icing" conditions? I think I have read lots of stuff on that, but ultimately don't know for sure what to say.

Oh and yes, the TKS is stored in the wings. The Red "Nu Fuel" cap is in the bottom part of the wing. the "white" stuff is "flash-evaporated" TKS fluid at very low temps at FL240.

There are no such European regulations for private flying (yet), they are still national so whatever the UK says is what you need to follow, G-reg that is.

The Swedish regulations for private flying state that flights in Known or Forecast Icing Conditions require that the aircraft is certified and equipped for icing conditions and that this is stated in the POH. Surely there is something similar in UK regs?

Unfortunately it's in Swedish but if you're interested the document is available here: Paragraph 27.