Ski Flew for First Time This Weekend!

[Huckster79]

Omg was it fun!!!

insanely easy transition... the skills are in taxi handling and I’m sure deep or challenging off airport stuff there’s plenty to not take for granted. But they are the smoothest landings you will ever make.

we hit a few grass strips and a lot just in and out of my home airport in between the taxi way and runway.

was very interesting as the day warmed how as the snow got softer how it really increased drag. Landing roll was very minimal... the tailwheel pinned down slows ya right up one ya bleed off most of the speed in a “wheel landing” attitude.

very anxious for it to make enough ice to hopefully be able to hit frozen lakes soon.


Who says a 73 and 80 year old lady aren’t fun! ?

 

[iamtheari]

I bought a set of skis for the Cub two years ago. It hasn’t snowed since.

Did you get instruction for ski flying or just have at it?

 

[idahoflier]

Nice!

 

[AKBill]

Nice, very nice... Enjoy the good times and have fun, guess I don't need to pass that on you are doing it.....

 

[flhrci]

Looks like fun!

 

[Huckster79]

I bought a set of skis for the Cub two years ago. It hasn’t snowed since.

Did you get instruction for ski flying or just have at it?

read up on it and did it!

the tricky part is taxi, turns to left are easier, little blasts of power up elevator and rudder kick to help a turn. Not parking where ya stop first, stuff like that.

the plane is more benign on skis than wheels... I guess they could be ground looped maybe on skis but I think you would really have to “try”... wheel landing attitude seems best but it’s just like wheels but more benign...

early in day take off roll was same or shorter on em as it got to low 30s and sunny and snow got wet they were all of twice as long on wheels. So one doesn’t want to be cavalier but basic caution of not getting into tight places as ya learn it’s easy. So snow conditions really do effect it. I went from a take off roll of 4-6 hundred feet to about or over double that just with a temp difference from 20 degrees to 33... due far more to the drag of wet snow vs cold crispy snow. The Inuit had it right having many names for different types of snow.

I need to try the ol float plane trick of pulling one ski off with aileron to help acceleration...

So lot to learn still but if ya stay prudent it can be a “self study course”

my buddy’s fat ol cub wing really did a superior job to my thinner “speed” wing.

 

[iamtheari]

read up on it and did it!

I've watched Ski Flying 101 about a dozen times. There is a flight school just a few hours away with Cubs on skis but they also haven't had good snow the past few years, so the chances are good that I'll end up following your lead. If it snows.

 

[EdFred]

Wow, you got more snow on the north side of town than we have on the south side.

 

[Huckster79]

Wow, you got more snow on the north side of town than we have on the south side.

Oh wow- yea we have a solid 4 or better. We ran up and landed at Ojibway park they had 8-10... that took a bit of a ground roll! But it’s a 3800’ strip so all good. Was really crazy we got rolling good in the shade hit the sunny part and ya could feel the plane slow again!

 

[Stewartb]

Just remember you don't have brakes.

The rule of ski flying is when it's hard and slick takeoffs are short, landings are long. When it's soft or sticky landings are short, takeoffs are long.

The things you need to learn about come from experience. Overflow is the worst. You don't know what miserably stuck means until you spend a day in overflow. Flat light and rock hard drifts will rattle your teeth. Stomping out a path when the snow's too deep will wear you out, then you get into the plane and the windows ice up. Good times!