Brutally Cold in the Cub, this morning....

Shepherd

Shepherd

Final Approach
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Shepherd
But totally worth it.

Every time I slowed the engine down below 1,000 rpm it would quit. Had to use the Armstrong starter 7 times in .6 hrs, or an average of 3 times for every landing.
Oil temperature never got about 100.
I finally quit when the windows iced over from breathing ,and I could no longer feel the rudder pedals.

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It's the challenge of landing a persnickety, 77 year old taildragger on a slippery, icy runway, and not rolling it up in a ball.
Mission accomplished.
But yes, it's not nearly as much fun as flying on the deck with the doors open.
The plane and I lasted less than an hour.
 
Me either, but I dig the photo!
 
The problem with the Cub is that you can't wear boots to fly it. The cabin is too narrow.
I have to wear the skinniest shoes I can find and try to wedge warm socks in them.
Not working all that well this morning.
The temperature on the ground was between 5 and 8 degrees F.
 
Do you ever watch Mountain Men on History Channel? Marty flies his cub all over Alaska! Really has to pay attention to beard icing! :)
 
Never tried my 1941 J-4A in such brutal conditions even though it is based in NW Wisconsin. But it would give room for bigger boots! Neat picture!

(Thread drift) Q - do you prop from the rear or front?
 
I love my J-3 but not for cold weather. If I can't fly with the door open I don't fly it. LOL!
 
I'd be fine with the cold (socks only is better than tight boots). What I would not be fine with is the engine quitting! You sir have nuts of steel and frost.
 
nrpetersen said:
Never tried my 1941 J-4A in such brutal conditions even though it is based in NW Wisconsin. But it would give room for bigger boots! Neat picture!

(Thread drift) Q - do you prop from the rear or front?
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Normally, I prop it from the rear.
If it is being unusually recalcitrant, I will chock it, tie it down and start it from the front. (not often)
I always prop it with the fuel pulled OFF. Just in case. There is always time to reach around turn the fuel on.
 
TommyG said:
That’s not enjoyable flying for me.
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It's not like I want to do it every day, but it is pretty fun for an occasional romp. People ski or drive snowmobiles in that kind of weather all the time. You just have to dress for it. I have a B-3 sheepskin type flying jacket for the really cold weather, and wear a ski mask and heavy gloves. The Fly Baby cockpit gives me enough room to bundle up a bit, unlike Shepherd's Cub.
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I'll admit, the fun part comes when stopping at an airport restaurant for a hot chocolate. Get some REAL stares, there. My usual practice when I arrive is to shut down, stand up in the cockpit, and unzip the leather jacket and waft it open and closed, like I was too hot.....
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Ron Wanttaja
 
Shepherd said:
It's the challenge of landing a persnickety, 77 year old taildragger on a slippery, icy runway, and not rolling it up in a ball.
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I've generally found icy/dirt/grass runways easier on a taildragger than asphalt. More likely to slide than to groundloop.
 
wanttaja said:
I'll admit, the fun part comes when stopping at an airport restaurant for a hot chocolate. Get some REAL stares, there. My usual practice when I arrive is to shut down, stand up in the cockpit, and unzip the leather jacket and waft it open and closed, like I was too hot.....
Ron Wanttaja
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You need to follow through - go into the restaurant and order a bowl of ice cream. :)
 
Half Fast said:
I spent a couple of days in Buffalo this week.

You people do know there are warmer places to live, don't you?
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I'd much rather live in the cold. You can always put on a coat. When it gets too hot there isn't anything to be done except hide in AC. I'm just not down with hiding in nice sunny days. Rather do it when the skies are gray. And I don't have so much trouble flying my 55 year old airplane in the cold. It has this knob for cabin heat, works quite well too.
 
steingar said:
I'd much rather live in the cold. You can always put on a coat. When it gets too hot there isn't anything to be done except hide in AC. I'm just not down with hiding in nice sunny days. Rather do it when the skies are gray. And I don't have so much trouble flying my 55 year old airplane in the cold. It has this knob for cabin heat, works quite well too.
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Me too..!!!

I have never passed out from being too cold.
 
evapilotaz said:
We are flying in Shorts during the winter in AZ.

I rather be hot then cold. I don't have to shovel heat to get to work. LOL
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Just drive over it

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Pilawt said:
We were seeing this here in Phoenix last June ...

View attachment 58526

But then we're not slipping and falling in the ice like we were in Vancouver last January ... :eek::(
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Gotta learn the penguin walk when walking on snow and ice..:yesnod:

I saw -62f in Fairbanks one week. That was almost too cold for me. But the ice is not slippery because there is no moisture on it at those temperatures.

Funny to watch people get off the plane from Phoenix after arriving in Gallup in winter. Shorts, flip flops, t-shirt and it is 40 degrees and windy in Gallup....:lol::lol:
 
That's some pretty hardcore Cub flying weather, Shep. I love me some cold weather, but I sure prefer my cabin to be above freezing if possible. I guess I'm a wiener. BRRR!!!
 
Had to refuel once in Tuktoyaktuk on a car rally. -40F...brrrrrr! Couldn't wait to get back in the car. Well, that, and the locals said that polar bears walk into town off the frozen Arctic Sea.

You know it's cold when your nose hairs freeze with every breath. :eek:
 
That looks miserable to me but cheers to you for doing it! I can certainly appreciate it from my warm office!
 
Shepherd said:
The problem with the Cub is that you can't wear boots to fly it. The cabin is too narrow.
I have to wear the skinniest shoes I can find and try to wedge warm socks in them.
Not working all that well this morning.
The temperature on the ground was between 5 and 8 degrees F.
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Sheep lined moccasins from Canada.


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I love my so much I got a pair of non insulated for summer.


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Half Fast said:
I spent a couple of days in Buffalo this week.

You people do know there are warmer places to live, don't you?
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There was good snow and 15F when I left Buffalo this morning. 60F when I landed in Las Vegas.
 
Shep should be known as the "The Shepherd" and be put on the short list for POA Hall of Fame. The man loves to fly.
 
I envy you Shepherd. We had a cold/snowy month of November and I was able to fly every weekend. The month of December has been really warm 40ish with rain. Have not flown for almost 3 weeks...:(
 
Pilawt said:
Even penguins were falling that night. Funniest thing (well, not really) was after my wife and I both fell in the crosswalk, a guy walking his dog nearby also fell. Then the dog fell. A dachshund. :oops:
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That is too funny..!!! At least the poor doggie didn't have far to go when falling..:lol::lol:
 
It's threads like this that made me realize how happy I am to move to a warmer climate!!
 
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