When should wing anti-ice be activated on the A320?

• A. Activated only during ground de-icing operations.
• B. Activated automatically when ice is suspected by sensors.
• C. Activated in icing conditions or when icing is likely, per icing conditions and crew procedures.
• D. Activated in any flight condition for safety.

Answer: (C)

Ice on the wing leading edges is a serious safety concern because it disturbs the airflow and reduces lift. The wing anti-ice system protects against this by heating the leading edges with bleed air, but it isn’t turned on automatically—you, the crew, activate it when you’re in icing conditions or when icing is likely, according to the aircraft’s icing conditions and crew procedures.

This means you would switch on wing anti-ice when you expect or observe icing—such as flying through clouds or precipitation in temperatures at or below freezing, as outlined in the procedures. You stay in that mode while you remain in icing conditions or until leaving them and it’s no longer required. It isn’t limited to ground operations, and it isn’t designed to run in all flight conditions or automatically based solely on sensors.