A STANDARD INFLT ENCOUNTER WITH ICING IS USED BY RPTR TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE 'CRY WOLF' SYNDROME AS HE PERCEIVES THE ISSUANCE OF WX ADVISORIES AIRMETS.

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MY STUDENT AND I WERE RETURNING TO GFK FROM CROOKSTON; MN DURING AN IFR TRAINING FLT. I REQUESTED THE VOR APCH 17R INTO GFK VIA OUR OWN NAV AND WE WERE CLRED DIRECT TO THE AFK VOR AT 5000 FT MSL. 3 MIN FROM THE GRANDFORKS VOR I REQUESTED FURTHER CLRNC SINCE I HAD ONLY BEEN CLRED AS FAR AS THE VOR. ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AFTER MY REQUEST I NOTICED A LIGHT TRACE OF ICE ON THE OAT PROBE AND TOLD ATC I NEEDED A LOWER ALT DUE TO ICE. ATC CLRED ME TO 3600 FT MSL (2800 FT AGL) WHICH I BELIEVED WOULD GET US OUT OF CLOUDS AND ICE SINCE ATIS RPTED CEILINGS 3500 FT AGL. AT 3600 FT MSL WE WERE STILL IN CLOUDS SO I REQUESTED LOWER AND RECEIVED 3500 MSL WHICH GOT ME R AT THE BASES. ICE WAS NO LONGER ACCUMULATING AND WE FINISHED THE APCH SAFELY. LOOKING BACK I CAN NOT THINK OF ANYTHING I WOULD HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY; I RECEIVED A STANDARD AND ABBREVIATED BRIEFING PRIOR TO MY FLT WITH NO FORECAST OF ICE BUT IT WAS FORECASTED IN CLOUDS AND PRECIPITATION. I TOLD CTLRS IMMEDIATELY OF THE MODERATE BUILD UP AND DID WHAT WAS NECESSARY TO GET OUT OF THE CLOUDS WHILE REMAINING ABOVE THE MIN VECTORING ALT. AS FAR AS PLTS AVOIDING ICING CONDITIONS IN THE FUTURE I DO NOT THINK THAT THERE WILL EVER BE A 100 PERCENT RECORD OF GENERAL AVIATION ACFT STAYING OUT OF ICE. NOBODY IN THEIR RIGHT MIND WOULD BLATANTLY GO INTO SUCH CONDITIONS BUT IF EVERY PLT GNDED THEMSELVES DURING FORECASTED ICING NO ACFT (NOT EQUIPPED FOR THE SITUATION) WOULD BE IN THE AIR BTWN OCTOBER AND APRIL WHEN AIRMETS ARE ROUTINELY ISSUED FOR ICING IN CLOUDS AND PRECIP. FLT SERVICE STATIONS SHOULD TAKE A LITTLE MORE CONSIDERATION OF WX FACTORS BEFORE ISSUING THESE AIRMETS OTHERWISE THEY WILL NOT BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY. EXPERIENCE AND LUCK WILL GET A PLT OUT OF MOST SITUATIONS; TRAIN ON HOW TO MAKE GOOD DECISIONS AND REENFORCE THE NOTION THAT ANY ICE IS TOO MUCH.