Winter
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Winter
Well folks - it`s that time of year again. -25 where I am today. I`m new to winter flying and wondered if anyone had any stories/experiences/advice on how to deal with it.
I`ll start with my own little gem:
I discovered this week that single-engined piston aircraft become very unhappy when left outside for more than an hour in -25. When I returned, the bugger wouldn`t start, and I had to beg a very friendly FBO to put my little 150 in the hangar with thier Lears, Challengers etc to warm up. End result: stopover in YUL was 2 hrs longer than it should have been! Now I realise you have to keep small aircraft warm in winter - I just didn`t realise how quickly the cold would affect it.
Seriously, though, is there anything else I should know?!
I`ll start with my own little gem:
I discovered this week that single-engined piston aircraft become very unhappy when left outside for more than an hour in -25. When I returned, the bugger wouldn`t start, and I had to beg a very friendly FBO to put my little 150 in the hangar with thier Lears, Challengers etc to warm up. End result: stopover in YUL was 2 hrs longer than it should have been! Now I realise you have to keep small aircraft warm in winter - I just didn`t realise how quickly the cold would affect it.
Seriously, though, is there anything else I should know?!
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Winter flying can be a pain, I have my own plane and I need to show up at the airport an hour and a half before I fly to preheat the engine. Often during that time I'm out shovelling snow infront of my hangar. I also take the battery home with me every day. Then after I finally start the engine while I'm waiting for it to warm up I use my engine preheater to warm the cabin and avionics. I miss summer already!
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Hi Folks
My son used a car heater that can be purchased at most hardware stores. Place it next to the firewall clear of anything that could possibly catch on fire. Cover the engine with a blanket. Most flying schools use blankets and can tell you where to buy one. Set the electrical timer to turn on the heater approximately three hours prior to flight. Make sure that you take your heater and blanket on your flight and plug it in on any stops longer than an hour depending on the outside temperature. He never had any starting problems and the preheat extends your engine life.
He also had wing and tail covers for the real nasty weather.....
My son used a car heater that can be purchased at most hardware stores. Place it next to the firewall clear of anything that could possibly catch on fire. Cover the engine with a blanket. Most flying schools use blankets and can tell you where to buy one. Set the electrical timer to turn on the heater approximately three hours prior to flight. Make sure that you take your heater and blanket on your flight and plug it in on any stops longer than an hour depending on the outside temperature. He never had any starting problems and the preheat extends your engine life.
He also had wing and tail covers for the real nasty weather.....
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Before putting our Beavers to bed at night, we used to add avgas to the oil to keep it liquid and actually be able to turn the engine over - by the time you'd warmed up in the morning it had all evaporated.
Of course, I have to add.... Check your own flight manual!
cheers
phil
Of course, I have to add.... Check your own flight manual!
cheers
phil
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The Blankette and car heaters are a good idea, But parking the thing for the winter is even better. Of course if you realy want to go flying in the snow, do it right. Get your self a place in a hangar and like the other guys said heat it up perty good before goiing anywhere with it.
I remember opperating a C-404 up north in -40 degre WX and we had to heat up the engeins with gas powered heaters or you could forget about leaving the ground. Beiing prepered for the worts is what I say. Don't leave the ground if your not 100% sure of not having any trouble.
I remember opperating a C-404 up north in -40 degre WX and we had to heat up the engeins with gas powered heaters or you could forget about leaving the ground. Beiing prepered for the worts is what I say. Don't leave the ground if your not 100% sure of not having any trouble.
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TN, if you haven't already done so, have your mechanic install a winter blanking kit on the aircraft. It's little more than a metal plate with slots in it mounted on the cowling air intakes. Keeps the CHTs and oil temps within reason in cruise. Avoid power off descents whenever possible. Don't try to add gas to the oil yourself. Some engines, only radials as far as I know, had special plumbing that allowed a metered amount of gas to be added to the oil system. It was called oil dilution, and would add, typically, one quart of gas per minute to the oil system. After final shutdown, you allowed the oil temp to fall below 50*C, then restarted the engine, ran it at 1000-1100 RPM and diluted for as many minutes as required, usually one minute for each forecasted 10*F below freezing. The gas would have to be burnt off the following morning on runup, after the oil had reached 50*C.
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I fly a C172. Here are some of our winter SOPs:
-Run the engine at 1000 rpm for 10 minutes before starting the runup.
-Idle at 650 rpm.
-Power reductions should not exceed 100 rpm/minute, and never below 1500 until the flare.
- no flights when field temperature is below -25C (-25C I've seen several places as a cutoff temperature for starting the engine without preheat, and we don't have preheat)
There was is a good bush pilot book that treats cold weather flying. It used to be free on the net here: <A HREF="http://www.fepco.com/BF.secI.ptIV.intro.html" TARGET="_blank">http://www.fepco.com/BF.secI.ptIV.intro.html</A>
but I see the author has taken down some of the chapters, and just tells you how to buy the book.
-Run the engine at 1000 rpm for 10 minutes before starting the runup.
-Idle at 650 rpm.
-Power reductions should not exceed 100 rpm/minute, and never below 1500 until the flare.
- no flights when field temperature is below -25C (-25C I've seen several places as a cutoff temperature for starting the engine without preheat, and we don't have preheat)
There was is a good bush pilot book that treats cold weather flying. It used to be free on the net here: <A HREF="http://www.fepco.com/BF.secI.ptIV.intro.html" TARGET="_blank">http://www.fepco.com/BF.secI.ptIV.intro.html</A>
but I see the author has taken down some of the chapters, and just tells you how to buy the book.
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hmmm,
I might think twice about complaining about a hot start in +42C next time...hats off to you mob.
Lived in that environment a few years ago...it is beautiful though...and I would not mind going back.
------------------
Those who restrain desire do so because theirs is weak enough to be restrained.
William Blake
I might think twice about complaining about a hot start in +42C next time...hats off to you mob.
Lived in that environment a few years ago...it is beautiful though...and I would not mind going back.
------------------
Those who restrain desire do so because theirs is weak enough to be restrained.
William Blake
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All good stuff! Thanks, everyone. Our line staff are good at getting the aircraft in hangars or plugged in with engine and wing covers on. Unfortunately, even they can`t guard against dumb**** pilots landing away and not looking after the aircraft! (ie people like me...)
My own personal favourite for single-engine pistons is: carb heat on just before applying full power for takeoff. Makes it less likely for the engine to cut out when you give full power. Once you have established that the engine is not going to cut out on you, push the carby heat back in.
My own personal favourite for single-engine pistons is: carb heat on just before applying full power for takeoff. Makes it less likely for the engine to cut out when you give full power. Once you have established that the engine is not going to cut out on you, push the carby heat back in.
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I thought of a few more cold weather tips for you while preflighting this morning.
Depending on the engine you may be able to turn the prop backwards (safer, and easier to grip the not-so-sharp edge of the prop) or forwards (some engines are damaged by being turned in reverse) through about six revolutions. It breaks up the stickiness of the cold oil, like stirring your ice cream to make a milkshake, I suppose. (You are, of course, using an appropriate oil for the temperature, right?) Check your POH.
The battery doesn't work as well in extreme cold, so if you normally extend electric flaps and check lights before engine start, consider waiting until after start. (If it's not dark enough to see the light reflecting off the ground, arrange with someone else to walk around and give you a thumbs up for functioning lights).
You need more strokes of primer in the cold. Trial and error will determine it for your aircraft. I prime with the accelerator pump (fast strokes of the throttle) and it takes 3 strokes, plus one stroke for every degree below 5C. That's a lot, it's a weird plane. If it's damp and cold you have to get that start on the first try, or you may get frost on the plugs, and then it won't start.
Before engine start, don't forget to close the cabin heat control and ensure that your winter coat isn't blocking access to the fire extinguisher, in case of engine fire.
Depending on the engine you may be able to turn the prop backwards (safer, and easier to grip the not-so-sharp edge of the prop) or forwards (some engines are damaged by being turned in reverse) through about six revolutions. It breaks up the stickiness of the cold oil, like stirring your ice cream to make a milkshake, I suppose. (You are, of course, using an appropriate oil for the temperature, right?) Check your POH.
The battery doesn't work as well in extreme cold, so if you normally extend electric flaps and check lights before engine start, consider waiting until after start. (If it's not dark enough to see the light reflecting off the ground, arrange with someone else to walk around and give you a thumbs up for functioning lights).
You need more strokes of primer in the cold. Trial and error will determine it for your aircraft. I prime with the accelerator pump (fast strokes of the throttle) and it takes 3 strokes, plus one stroke for every degree below 5C. That's a lot, it's a weird plane. If it's damp and cold you have to get that start on the first try, or you may get frost on the plugs, and then it won't start.
Before engine start, don't forget to close the cabin heat control and ensure that your winter coat isn't blocking access to the fire extinguisher, in case of engine fire.
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Good advice Luftwaffle- It works well to give it a few shots of prime before you pull the prop through.
As for the battery I still bring mine home, It's too tough to hand prop in the winter. My plane has a 12v system so I can boost it from my car if I get real desperate.
As for the battery I still bring mine home, It's too tough to hand prop in the winter. My plane has a 12v system so I can boost it from my car if I get real desperate.
