Cold weather and flying

[hydroguy2]

5*F in this pic during a lunch stop in Bozeman(BZN) during phase 1 testing


I recall 2700fpm climbing out, so on the way home I think it was -5f at 6500' so I tested the straight and level, WOT, 2620rpm....194Kts TAS WooHoo!

I normally don't like to open the hangar door if temp is <10F. Actually I worry mostly about cracking my canopy, going from heated at 50F to 0 or whatever. I broke a headset at -5 in the club 172 picking it off a cold glareshield one day.

[gerrychuck]

My limits used to be based on how cold I could tolerate it when pre-flighting the plane outside (usually in the wind). Now I can preflight in the shelter of the hangar, and I have very good preheat for the engine, but I have kept my limits at about -20C or about -5F. It's not that it's too uncomfortable either preflighting or flying; it's survivability if I had to put the airplane down off-airport and wait for help. I never really thought about that for years, but started taking it into consideration when my son starting flying Harvard II's (T6's) at the training base here. Their temperature limits are based purely on survivability after an ejection, which started to make sense to me. Plus I'm getting to be a wuss as I get older

Having said that, there is absolutely nothing like flying on a clear, cold, windless day on the Canadian prairies; it can be magic-carpet smooth with takeoff and climb performance to burn. The other thing that people rarely mention is how easy that dense air makes landing; your ground speed for a given TAS is so much lower at these low temps and the dense air gives such a beautiful cushion in ground effect. Everything seems to happen in slow motion and you just settle sweetly onto the runway after flaring.

Jeez; I'm looking out the window at a gorgeous sunny, cold day and this is really making me want to go flying. I really need my medical back....

[PaulR]

So I'm leaving LA (Lower Alabama) tomorrow for a trip to KIOW in Iowa to visit family for a few days. I talked to the FBO and they said there is "patchy" ice on the runway and braking is "fair". (5000' runway) How concerned should I be about steering on that runway/taxiway? I've never had the RV on any snowpack. The old PA-28 was a different story with nose wheel steering, though NO WHERE nearly as much fun!!!!

I opted out of my first choice of airports to stay at due to it being 100% snow and ice packed.

[zilik]

The "A" models steer just fine using rudder only. Braking is the issue. On snow packed surfaces I have had no problems. On ice you need to be really careful.

[Dogcowdaddy]

As a rule of thumb I generally don't fly when the temperature is less than my age. Started flying at 15 and now at 53 I can say that it works out about right :-)

V/R

Jim

[n82rb]

about 65 F. why do you think I live in southwest florida.

every time I move I go farther south. key west is looking real nice.

bob burns
N82RB

RV-4

[Dbro172]

I used to think I wouldn't fly if the temp were much below freezing. But, in the last few days I've logged about five hours cruising around central Minnesota at about 5 degrees F. It has been the most enjoyable flying I've ever done. Smooth air with tons of power and lift. I've had the heater and defrost on the warrior set at about half, and only need to wear a sweatshirt.

[Dennis_I]

As long its not colder than -30 Celsius here in the northern part of Sweden

[6S4 Hugo]

Originally Posted by sprucemoose

-459.67 F.

0.0 K if that is easier to remember.

I would expect the aircraft and its systems to behave strangely as all atomic motion comes to a standstill.

[Jaypratt]

Flying in the cold can be dangerous. I have experienced hyporthermia in my Super Cub,
Several RV8 owners have had cracked canopys because of cole temps.

My limits are,,,, is it nice enough to go for a walk in a light jacket? If yes, flying will be comfortable too.