Pilot Pete’s 06C Today 8pm - Thank you two guys who helped me

mandm

Pattern Altitude
Joined
Feb 7, 2020
Messages
2,394
Location
Chicago
Display Name

Display name:
Michael
Today I got my hangar and preheated my plane that was sitting in the cold for a few days until the hangar was ready, and went to 06C to have dinner at Pilot Pete’s, first time and a cool spot! I was inside for about 1.5 hours and it was -6C outside, when leaving and trying to start the plane, it was still a little warm when checking the oil, but the prop wouldn’t turn at all, battery and lights appeared to work, although I did switch fuel tanks and turned on the fuel pump for a few seconds. Unsure if I did something wrong, I’m leaning towards user error or the plane was mad at me for the cold but I’ll go back and try to start the plane again later this week to see if it was a fluke or needs maintenance.

Just before I was about to have to throw in the towel, feeling hopeless, and have to figure out how to get back to my car and then back to home, two gentlemen approached and helped to hand prop the plane. They both worked at it quite a bit while it was freezing out. Wah la the plane started. I want to say thank you to those two gentlemen, I am very grateful for their help, and if anyone knows who the two gentlemen might be, please let me know. I surely owe them a bottle of scotch! (or *insert drink and food of choice*)
 
Piper Arrow? Did the prop move at all when you engaged the starter or literally nothing. No noise, no change?

Where did you end up landing a hangar? Congratulations.
 
Last edited:
Brrrr.. good on them.

In the club archer, occasionally the starter would spin, but the solenoid wouldn't engage the pinion with the ring gear, so it would just sit there and whir. You couldn't hear it over the fuel pump & avionics. It would always work on the second or third try though. Probably only a matter of time until it stands someone somewhere like you experienced.
 
I love our community here.

If oil was over 40F then my first guess is the battery couldn’t send enough voltage to the starter. Perhaps a little more common would be the starter solenoid (or other really) wouldn’t engage. I’ve flown a plane where you had to hold the key in start for an extra split second for anything to turn. Temps (-6C) aren’t really cold, but like me in the winter… everything moves slower when cold.

Glad you had help!
 
Yeah, sitting out for the 1.5-2 hours can cool things off a bunch. At times I’ll adjust to just doing the round robin, maybe a fuel stop at the most, then back to my home hangar. I do my preheat ritual, then crank up, usually not worth it to sit out at 10 degrees in the breeze.

One could carry a cord & look for a plug, more of a deal if on a trip or have a higher priority type of visit.
 
I took the plane out of the hangar yesterday and I went to start the engine, same issue happened that the prop wouldn’t turn. I tried it again, focusing more on the turn and push and the prop fired up and the engine started right away. I’m leaning towards user error on the issue and that the starter has to be turned and pushed a certain way, especially in the winter. :D
 
1-2 hours on the ground in the winter is a good use case for warming blankets, like the ones from Tanis. They not just insulate the engine compartment, but also protect it from wind. It's a bit of a pain to put it on and take it off, but it sure beats being stranded.

- Martin
 
-6c is 21F. That is not that cold, especially for a plane that had just been flown 1.5 hours before. If it still felt warm, which I would expect it would, something is not right with the airplane, like a weak battery.

The Cirrus SR-22s I fly, I went to Nantucket in December, it was 20 F, I left it for about 5 hours, cowl plugs in, no blanket, the engine oil was still 70 F when I went to start it.
 
-6c is 21F. That is not that cold, especially for a plane that had just been flown 1.5 hours before. If it still felt warm, which I would expect it would, something is not right with the airplane, like a weak battery.
I don't know the plane in this case - you may be exactly right here.

Just want to point out that 21F on a calm day and 21F on a windy day are very different situations. Not because of windchill, but because the wind blowing into the engine compartment will greatly expedite cooling of everything inside. Ultimately everything will reach 21F, it just happens much faster on a windy day.

The flipside of this is hot starts in the summer. Whenever possible, on short stops in warm weather I try to park facing into the wind. Even a mere 5-10 knot wind into the cooling inlets will do wonders with carrying heat away, and will make the subsequent start easier. Park the airplane the other way around (wind from behind), and your job will be harder.

- Martin
 
I don't know the plane in this case - you may be exactly right here.

Just want to point out that 21F on a calm day and 21F on a windy day are very different situations. Not because of windchill, but because the wind blowing into the engine compartment will greatly expedite cooling of everything inside. Ultimately everything will reach 21F, it just happens much faster on a windy day.

The flipside of this is hot starts in the summer. Whenever possible, on short stops in warm weather I try to park facing into the wind. Even a mere 5-10 knot wind into the cooling inlets will do wonders with carrying heat away, and will make the subsequent start easier. Park the airplane the other way around (wind from behind), and your job will be harder.

- Martin

The Cirrus is pretty tightly cowled, and plastic does have some insulation properties. But you are correct, more air flowing over the airplane will cool things quicker. Cowl plugs make a big difference for keeping things inside the cowl warm, the blanket you have looks like it will help a lot too.

The OP mentioned the engine felt warm, so it was most likely ok. The battery on the other hand, was probably not warm. I just had to replace the batteries in my wife's and daughter's cars, both batteries were over 5 years old and we have had a lot of nights near or below zero F lately.

Getting the hell out of here to some warmer weather soon.
 
Back
Top