"...a hero"?.. just for visiting St. Petersburg , Russia, in February? Temps are similar to a large area of Canada. No big deal.
Regarding the maintenance of the Air Atlantic Lockheed L-188 Electra. The L-188 was developed over 30 years prior to the BAe ATP, plus the Electra was not a development of a previous Lockheed design. Plenty of electrical relays/servos on the old L-188... The Allison engine is quite reliable.
Buffalo Airways operated their ex-Air Atlantic and Zantop L-188's in conditions more severe than St. Petersburg..when some of the airframes were over 50 years of age..