Winterflying with landing on a frozen lake in Norway

Hi folks.

Today, we woke up to GREAT winter-weather here in the south-eastern Norway, so the wifey and me decided it was time to let our -7 get some air under it's wings and to do this seasons first ice-landing.

Since a couple of the runways on frozen lakes in our local area opened for the season last week, we chose the runway situated in the northern part of Mjøsa, close to the city Lillehammer, as our destination today.




Here we are enroute.



The "wire-mess" on the glareshield is temporary: I'm testing a Zaon XRX which I have bought for my second -7. Since that plane is under construction, I'm using the Zaon in my first -7 until the other one is done.





The skipper at the helm:





This is what I call VFR-weather!







Here, we are approaching the rwy: it's visible just to the right of the center in the pic:







Turning right base:







On final






And parked:







As usual in this kind of weather, we had an inversion today: the OAT at 4000' MSL was -6*C (21*F) and on the ice (400' MSL) it was -18*C (-1*F.)
Abit cold, but with the right clothes, it's just "Pure Pleasure"...



Walking onto the shore, we passed a concrete dock waiting for the summer:





(continued)

Part two

(continued)


We left our trusty -7 behind, and walked into the town to find a resturant.






After a nice dinner, when coming out of the resturant, I saw two, no... THREE...."trolls" sitting outside the door: (hehe...)








We walked back to the plane, climbed in and soon we where at 4000' again for the 45 min cruise to our home airfield.

As usual the skipper was at the helm:



(don't you love women who can fly with the stick in one hand and their sunglasses in the other...





Enroute, we saw the sun approached the horizon and soon we where back home:






What a great way to spend a Tuesday!

Thanks, Alf!

For another excellent write-up and photos! Do you encounter any problems starting the engine after sitting out for an hour or so?

Wow - what's not to like about that kind of severe clear weather? We've been getting similar weather here... except on the weekends... when I can fly.

It's great to see your airplane set up for "equal opportunity piloting"! Now if only I could convince my wife to hold the controls...

Thanks for sharing your awesome winter adventure!

Thanks...

... for the nice comments guys.

Gary: No, it's no problem to start up again as long as we "wrap" the engine in thick blankets and use cowlplugs.
As you can see on one of the pics, I prefer to use two covers, and with one of them going down on both sides of the cowling.

I also prefer to park with the rear of the plane facing away from the wind. That way, the cold draft can't blow into the engine via the cowl-outlet.

It was a little more than 2 hrs beetween shutdown and startup, and the oiltemp where around 50*F by then.
Both front cylinders where nice and warm to touch and when checking the oil-level, I felt that the engine compartment-temp where in the 50's too.

The cockpit is rather cold ofcourse, but with good clothing, cabinheat to max and defroster to on, then the cockpit gets warm rather quickly after start up.

Mark: yes, it's nice that both seats can fly the plane. I have built it with the right seat as pilot seat, but since the wifey and me normally fly every other leg (the other one handles the radio and navigation), the left seat needs a good view to the instruments too.

We are so happy with this setup, so our second -7 is built the same way.

I enjoy winter flying and landing on ice with my CH701. It's entertaining to watch the ice fishermen run out of their huts when you flyby low and slow. Would you please describe how your defrost system works and how effective it is. I am getting close to completion in that area of my 9A cockpit and should consider adding defrost if its necessary for safe flying.
I also noted duct tape on the fresh air inlets, are they notably leaky in sub zero flying?

Cam Andres
RV9A with IO360
CH701 with Soob

building log at
www.tailcreek.com/tcaviate

Waiting for our ice runway

I'm hoping the current cold snap in the northeast will freeze up the ice runway at Alton Bay, NH nicely. Last year was a wash with the mild winter.

I guess surface friction is good when it is really cold, but do you have a plan for tie down when it is required?

Alf,

I know the duct tape works, but try using a wide mouth baby bottle nipple instead. Looks strange, but works and can be put away in the Summer. In Feb 1964 I flew with a squadron of F-4s nonstop from Florida to Orland AB near Trondheim. Your Air Force tried to kill us with both kindness and some strange clear liquid! Norway is beautiful and the fjords are spectacular. Thanks for the fun write-up.

Jim

Heat

Are you running 1 or 2 heat muffs on your airplane. Just curious how you keep warm up there!

Dave

Here's...

... some answers to the questions above:

Defroster-system: I have posted a few pics and info on a separate post:
http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=95632
(didn't want to hijack this tread)

Fresh-air leaking: yes, there's some airleak through the fresh air-vents, so during vinter I just put some duct tape on them.
Not pretty, but it's KISS at least....

I don't want the alu-ones however, both because of their high price, and because I prefer the slight airleak through the vents during spring, summer and fall. That gives a nice, small fresh air supply.

Therefore, I haven't not done the "proseal-procedure" to close them up.

Jim: great tip about the baby bottle nipple! I'll try to find them over here.
I'm glad you guys had a nice time with your F-4's at Ørland! And yes; that "clear liquid" can be VERY dangerous....
I think that's equally dangerous to some other "clear liquid": the stuff my US-class-mates taught us how to drink when my Norwegian classmates and me joined the pilotschool (UPT) at "Willie" (Willams AFB, AZ) in USAF in -76.... that liquid came with lemon and salt....

Jim: my plan for tie-down: not going there.
That means that if the forecast is such that a tie-down is required, then we're not going. That kind of wind will make it VERY cold due to the windchill-factor.
That beeing said; I always secure the stick and rudder though. Just in case some taxing airplane passes close by.

Dave: one heat-muff. That one is enlarged about 1/3 over a standard heatmuff. (I bought two muffs and made them into one)
That is too little heat however, so on my second -7, we've installed two muffs: one standard size and one enlarged. I will also insulate the cockpit on the second -7.

Sidenote: I wish Larry would've made an exhaust-system with dual mufflers for a fwd facing IO-360. That would've been plenty of heat....

The cockpit is somewhat chilly in the winter, so we've to dress warm and to keep a warm, loving atmosphere in the cockpit.
(a rather pleasant alternative.. hehe...)

Heat

Thanks for the answers, Larry had me put a 4 pipe system on my airplane and he works with Rick Robbins who also makes heat muffs. Rick suggested that instead of 2 inch hose I go with 1 1/2 so that I get hotter air. With the 4 pipe system the heat muff captures 2 odf the pipes. Yes its hot but still not enough. Im still trying to get a good seal on the canopy and am going to install another heat muff I think. I have heated clothing outlets in the airplane as well. As of now I fly 20 degrees F with sun shining and 30 degrees F cloudy. It's all I can handle! Still to cold and have not tries the heated clothing yet.

Dave