1. An ice protection system adapted to protect at least one ice-susceptible region of an aircraft, said system comprising: an ice protection device associated with each region; an onboard power source and a supply line to each ice protection device; a controller for each ice protector which controls power supply through the supply line; an optimizer which conveys instructions to each controller; and an ice detector which provides an ice-condition input; wherein the optimizer uses the ice-condition input to generate the operation-optimizing instructions.