Cold Wx tips?

4

4RNB

Line Up and Wait
PoA Supporter
Joined
May 24, 2016
Messages
834
Display Name
Display name:
4RNB
I am soliciting tips and pointers for cold weather flying comfort. I've flown a bit last January, kind of forget it, think it was never more than an hour or so. This January I stand to have several four hour per day flights. Two days ago I was a bit chilled at 3,000 with the heat on. I can add in long underwear. I already use a slim profile cap that. Never gloves yet, the ones I wear on bike rides are too slippery. I need to improve my socks. What do you do?
Headgear?
Gloves? How do you handle touch screens?
Balaclava?
What works and does not?
Do you vary this for different phases of flight?
Thank you.
 
Dress in layers. Wear something with fuzzy pockets. I never wear gloves while piloting. Just during preflight.
 
What do you fly? I've never lacked for heat in the pipers I fly. The dakota has leaky wing vents though, so ankle covering shoes were helpful.

@kaiser has some fingerless hobo gloves he likes to wear.
 
Jim K said:
What do you fly? I've never lacked for heat in the pipers I fly. The dakota has leaky wing vents though, so ankle covering shoes were helpful.

@kaiser has some fingerless hobo gloves he likes to wear.
Click to expand...

C172
 
I build my ensemble for winter flying like I do for skiing and hiking. Base layers top and bottom are smart wool or icebreaker. Different weight for different temps. Above freezing at the surface I’ll do 150-200. Below freezing I’ll do 260. Then I add 1-2 lighter wool layers or more if it’s colder. My goal is not having to wear a coat in the cockpit for maneuverability. I wear a wool or synthetic beanie hat and wool socks as well. That’s where you’ll get the rest of your heat loss. With good socks, shoes are less relevant.

Jim K said:
@kaiser has some fingerless hobo gloves he likes to wear.
Click to expand...
I have basic wool fingerless gloves I like calling hobo gloves because they’re an off color green and look sort of funny. I go fingerless so that I still get good manipulation on avionics/touchscreens. They’re really good at keeping heat in your hands.

Most importantly, always bring a coat… never know when you have to land out and wait for rescue.
 
kaiser said:
I My goal is not having to wear a coat in the cockpit for maneuverability.
Click to expand...
Can confirm, @kaiser doesn’t wear anything so he has max maneuverability in the cockpit. The rest of us dress in layers. Have a proper hat and scarf as you can get a lot of adjustments with those two. No easy way to take off a coat when flying but you do your best. I’ve got gloves that will activate a touch screen - they suck. Turning the dials is easier.
 
I don;t know what you fly. It's never a been a problem, except i know where the heat comes from for the cabin. So more than one CO2 detector is a must. Now that said, you mentioned you ride. Do you have heated gear? What kind? Can you use that? yes i know some heated gear takes some amperage to operate. but most are well with in the limits of the planes electrical system.
 
Slim pair of gloves and a hat. Maybe also a long sleeve under armour-like shirt. Maybe the plane is messed up? I’ve never felt cold in a 172 with the heat on in the winter. I usually run hot in a plane so maybe it’s just me. I usually only wear a light fleece.
 
You can get gloves with touchscreen pads in the fingertips, but it's hard to be accurate. I have a stylus hanging on a cord for when I need gloves. I have a pair of thin wool gloves with touchscreen fingertips and rubber bumps on the inside of the hand so they're not slippery, though I don't use them for flying, I need something more windproof in the open cockpit. I think they'd work well in a closed cockpit.

When it gets below 50F I slip a catalytic hand warmer (the metal ones that use lighter fluid, but the disposable ones work well too) in my inside jacket pocket, it makes a big difference, and change into flannel lined jeans. Below 40F I don't fly.
 
Dana said:
You can get gloves with touchscreen pads in the fingertips, but it's hard to be accurate. I have a stylus hanging on a cord for when I need gloves. I have a pair of thin wool gloves with touchscreen fingertips and rubber bumps on the inside of the hand so they're not slippery, though I don't use them for flying, I need something more windproof in the open cockpit. I think they'd work well in a closed cockpit.

When it gets below 50F I slip a catalytic hand warmer (the metal ones that use lighter fluid, but the disposable ones work well too) in my inside jacket pocket, it makes a big difference, and change into flannel lined jeans. Below 40F I don't fly.
Click to expand...
I was about to make fun of you but then remembered you're open cockpit. :D
 
A Merino wool base layer does wonders. As a hunter I stay away from the plastic clothes like under armour.
 
4RNB said:
I am soliciting tips and pointers for cold weather flying comfort. I've flown a bit last January, kind of forget it, think it was never more than an hour or so. This January I stand to have several four hour per day flights. Two days ago I was a bit chilled at 3,000 with the heat on. I can add in long underwear. I already use a slim profile cap that. Never gloves yet, the ones I wear on bike rides are too slippery. I need to improve my socks. What do you do?
Headgear?
Gloves? How do you handle touch screens?
Balaclava?
What works and does not?
Do you vary this for different phases of flight?
Thank you.
Click to expand...
Golf gloves , :)
 
I'm probably just a big baby, but I don't fly with meltable synthetics as the layers closest to me. I have a pair of cotton flannel jeans from bean, and a lightweight carbon-x long sleeve t-shirt from I think summit racing, and a pair of lightweight racing gloves. Heavy cotton or wool button up shirt and a jacket and I'm good in a plane w/o heat in the winter. The gloves are nomex, and similar to the military flying gloves from what I can tell. Better constructed than the gloves sold as "mil-spec" that seem to be knock offs when I see them advertised.

I don't wear the racing gear with any misconception of making the problem of fire better, just of most likely not making the problem way worse.
 
Don’t fly if it is too cold ,at least of you are flying a “plastic” plane … it can crack :)

 
Heated motorcycle vest. If you have a 28v system there are controllers for that.
 
Albany Tom said:
I'm probably just a big baby, but I don't fly with meltable synthetics as the layers closest to me. I have a pair of cotton flannel jeans from bean, and a lightweight carbon-x long sleeve t-shirt from I think summit racing, and a pair of lightweight racing gloves. Heavy cotton or wool button up shirt and a jacket and I'm good in a plane w/o heat in the winter. The gloves are nomex, and similar to the military flying gloves from what I can tell. Better constructed than the gloves sold as "mil-spec" that seem to be knock offs when I see them advertised.

I don't wear the racing gear with any misconception of making the problem of fire better, just of most likely not making the problem way worse.
Click to expand...

How to tell good products from others? Quick search yields lots of mil spec nomex? Any links please? Thank you.
 
Is it always the same plane, or do you have this issue in multiple planes? I just can't wrap my head around being that cold. Id be trying to find out if the heat is working correctly. I can't stand flying with a coat or hat on. In the winter I'll stand on the wing and take all that stuff off before I get in.
 
Jim K said:
Is it always the same plane, or do you have this issue in multiple planes? I just can't wrap my head around being that cold. Id be trying to find out if the heat is working correctly. I can't stand flying with a coat or hat on. In the winter I'll stand on the wing and take all that stuff off before I get in.
Click to expand...

I don't remember where @4RNB is, but when I was flying last winter in Iowa, if you stood on the wing and removed your layers, you would be well on your way to frostbite just in the time it takes to get in the plane. When it's 0*F on the ground, and there's a north wind at 15 knots, the wind chill is right about -20, and that's a pretty normal day. That is cold, and you're going to want something substantial on, especially at altitude. In the Archer I flew, the heat worked great. But it couldn't keep up with the cold around it. So I got good at moving the vent-aiming lever with the side of my foot to change the direction of airflow.

To keep warm, I'd wear some variation of the following: cotton socks, followed by one or two pairs of wool socks, a pair of insulated hiking boots (just ankle-high ones), a pair of cotton leggings underneath flannel-lined jeans, a long-sleeved shirt with a T-shirt over the top, and a canvas, fleece-lined jacket. I couldn't find a knit hat that I liked wearing under my headset, so I just wore a ballcap inside the plane. It worked surprisingly well. I also wore fingerless gloves to keep my hands warm. And I'd throw my heavy coat and proper mittens in the backseat, just in case. You end up feeling a little stiff with all the extra fabric, but it sure is nice to only be slightly chilly when flying!
 
SkyChaser said:
I don't remember where @4RNB is, but when I was flying last winter in Iowa, if you stood on the wing and removed your layers, you would be well on your way to frostbite just in the time it takes to get in the plane. When it's 0*F on the ground, and there's a north wind at 15 knots, the wind chill is right about -20, and that's a pretty normal day. That is cold, and you're going to want something substantial on, especially at altitude. In the Archer I flew, the heat worked great. But it couldn't keep up with the cold around it. So I got good at moving the vent-aiming lever with the side of my foot to change the direction of airflow.

To keep warm, I'd wear some variation of the following: cotton socks, followed by one or two pairs of wool socks, a pair of insulated hiking boots (just ankle-high ones), a pair of cotton leggings underneath flannel-lined jeans, a long-sleeved shirt with a T-shirt over the top, and a canvas, fleece-lined jacket. I couldn't find a knit hat that I liked wearing under my headset, so I just wore a ballcap inside the plane. It worked surprisingly well. I also wore fingerless gloves to keep my hands warm. And I'd throw my heavy coat and proper mittens in the backseat, just in case. You end up feeling a little stiff with all the extra fabric, but it sure is nice to only be slightly chilly when flying!
Click to expand...




You’re going to like living in the South......
 
Sounds like the heat isn't working well in that airplane. I wouldn't fly it in cold weather. Nothing worse than taking off and having the inside of the windshield frost up.
 
SkyChaser said:
when I was flying last winter in Iowa, if you stood on the wing and removed your layers, you would be well on your way to frostbite just in the time it takes to get in the plane. When it's 0*F on the ground, and there's a north wind at 15 knots, the wind chill is right about -20, and that's a pretty normal day.
Click to expand...
I'm not very far south of there. The trick is to do it fast. I have a space heater in the cabin on remote switch, so if you can stand a few seconds of pain the cabin is warm-ish. Didn't have that with the archer, so I had to do the coat removal dance in flight. No AP in that thing either so it could be exciting at times.
 
Jim K said:
I'm not very far south of there. The trick is to do it fast. I have a space heater in the cabin on remote switch, so if you can stand a few seconds of pain the cabin is warm-ish. Didn't have that with the archer, so I had to do the coat removal dance in flight. No AP in that thing either so it could be exciting at times.
Click to expand...

The space heater is a nice idea! That might make it doable. There is no way, though, that I would be getting into the Archer with my jacket off in January or February - with no heat in the hangar, I was cold before I'd finished preflighting and the plane took quite a while to warm up, especially when solo! It was slightly nicer with my CFI along. Body heat helps. :)
 
I’m in Michigan and I’ve never had an issue with heat. I preheat my engine to around 120 and I too use a small space heater, all on remote switches. I Send a text a few hours before I get to the hangar and all is good! I fly a C182. I typically leave my coat on until I’m done with the run up. By the time I’ve taxied and completed the run up, I’m turning down the heat and removing my coat. It can get down right HOT in thre cabin if I don’t turn it down after takeoff. Sounds like something’s not right with the OPs heat.
 
4RNB said:
I am soliciting tips and pointers for cold weather flying comfort. I've flown a bit last January, kind of forget it, think it was never more than an hour or so. This January I stand to have several four hour per day flights. Two days ago I was a bit chilled at 3,000 with the heat on. I can add in long underwear. I already use a slim profile cap that. Never gloves yet, the ones I wear on bike rides are too slippery. I need to improve my socks. What do you do?
Headgear?
Gloves? How do you handle touch screens?
Balaclava?
What works and does not?
Do you vary this for different phases of flight?
Thank you.
Click to expand...

I have flown a lot during the last 4 winters in my 172. It makes plenty of heat until it get's down to single digit temps or are landing with the power pulled back.

I tape off the air intake vents in the wings in Nov and leave them closed off until March. That helps a bunch. I carry a hat, gloves, coat and sleeping bag in the plane. Always have a couple 3 bottles of water on board.

My airport clears the ramps to the hangars of the frequent flyers first during the winters. That is my hangar. This is my truck but I don't plow my airport.
001_10.jpg

IMG_01951.jpg

4476.jpg
 
I use a couple portable gas fired heaters in the hangar. One is a turbo type heater and it blows hot air into the cabin while the engine heater is warming up. When I get into the plane the inside is pretty toasty.

I open the co pilots door and the turbo heater warms up the inside within a few minutes.
058.jpg
 
winter.jpg

My winter setup. NOS Survival suit bought on Ebay for $100, leather headset "helmet" for me, a pair of wool socks and some thin gloves. The suit isn't overly puffy or bulky. The heater in the Swift isn't much to begin with and you can see the high quality sealing of the windows and ceiling insulation we've got going on. We're comfy down to the single digits. I flew a different plane home from Minnesota last year that had an inop heater, 13* when I took off and 20* at home, 5 hour flight. I was good with this setup although got thirsty when my soda froze solid.
 
When I worked in Alaska, we stopped operations at -38 to -40. C or F, it didn't matter because it is pretty close to being the same....COLD.

Not because the cold was hard on the pilot, but because the cold was hard on the airplane... Pilots were cheap and plentiful, planes were not.

I always noticed when flying the C-207 in the deep cold, the inside of the plane would warm up whenever I saw ice forming on the wings...

And yes, the only ice protection in the 207 was the pitot heat. Several times a winter I would land ''Spirit of St. Louis'' style because the windscreen is iced over. The trick was to put a pair of gloves, fingers laced together, over the defrost vent and hope that would concentrate enough heat to open a small hole in the ice to see through.

Another trick we did was at the start of freeze up, we would get a bunch of paper towels. Dampen the paper towels and roll them up length wise, then push them into the space where the windscreen and glare shield come together. Then they would freeze and block any air leaking through the gap.
 
Painters tape, use it to cover outside vents. I use it to cover the wing root vents on my 172.
 
Racerx said:
A Merino wool base layer does wonders. As a hunter I stay away from the plastic clothes like under armour.
Click to expand...
I'm allergic to wool (lanolin) so my base layer is silk thermal, then wool on top.

As for the pipers, I've cut round circles of foam and stuffed into the air vents at the bottom of the cabin. Helps keep the drafts out.
 
Jim K said:
I'm not very far south of there. The trick is to do it fast. I have a space heater in the cabin on remote switch, so if you can stand a few seconds of pain the cabin is warm-ish. Didn't have that with the archer, so I had to do the coat removal dance in flight. No AP in that thing either so it could be exciting at times.
Click to expand...
Space heater is great to warm up the instruments, too. I've got an engine heater with remote on/off but I won't put the cabin heater on the switch. So when I get to the airport I turn the little ceramic heater on in the cabin for the 30 min or so for preflight and such.
 
Gary Ward said:
I have flown a lot during the last 4 winters in my 172. It makes plenty of heat until it get's down to single digit temps or are landing with the power pulled back.

I tape off the air intake vents in the wings in Nov and leave them closed off until March. That helps a bunch. I carry a hat, gloves, coat and sleeping bag in the plane. Always have a couple 3 bottles of water on board.

My airport clears the ramps to the hangars of the frequent flyers first during the winters. That is my hangar. This is my truck but I don't plow my airport.
Click to expand...
Never thought about taping off the air intakes...next project when I get out to the hangar. We get plowed too but not the last 2 feet or so to the door. Airport doesn't want to take the chance of damaging the doors.

We're about to hit hurricane force winds in Colorado. Time to stay home.
 
murphey said:
Space heater is great to warm up the instruments, too. I've got an engine heater with remote on/off but I won't put the cabin heater on the switch. So when I get to the airport I turn the little ceramic heater on in the cabin for the 30 min or so for preflight and such.
Click to expand...
The club I was in left them plugged in all the time. I couldn't sleep that way. I agree there is a risk turning it on remotely, but it's awfully nice arriving to a warm cabin, and takes a while to warm up a pa32.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top