Do You Fly Much.........

OkieFlyer

OkieFlyer

En-Route
Joined
May 16, 2011
Messages
3,225
Location
Lindsay, OK
Display Name
Andrew L.
Home Airfield
1K2 Lindsay Muni.
When it's freaking hot?


I don't know about you guys, but when it's 100+ degrees out, I definately lose some of my desire to fly. Looking back through my log book, is see quite a bit less hours in July and August. I'm sure it's a lot different for you Yankees, but my spam can makes one heck of a sauna down here on the plains in summer.
 
I just cruise higher in the cooler temps, or fly somewhere that it's not that hot.


Used to live in places like the south, and SoCal, now I wised up and live in the north, easier to put a coat and boots on in the winter and enjoy the summer, when it's 100+ outside not much you can do.
 
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I'm in Houston, so I feel your pain. I definitely try to avoid the heat of the day, and limit flying to early morning or evening time. If the sun's low on the horizon and you can get some altitude, temps are okay...it's just a matter of minimizing time on the ground and down low.

If you have to fly in the middle of the day, an ice chest air conditioner can help knock the temps down from "life endangering" to "survivable", though you really need to have it blowing right on you for it to do any good (which means your passengers still suffer until you can climb to cooler air).
 
In central Florida I fly early in the morning as much as possible this time of year. Of course, by early to mid afternoon, we've usually got thunderstorms so I wouldn't be flying anyway.

John
 
I fly to go places, and there's nothing like flying out to the beach, or mountains, or whatever, in the summer. Leave early, fly high, and get above the hot bouncy air.

No, pizzing around in the pattern isn't fun when the temps are in the upper 90s.
 
When we do fly, I definately get high as fast as possible, but this time of year, by the time I have pushed the hangar door open, done a pre-flight, and pulled the plane out, I'm darn near soaked from head to toe in sweat. Lately, I've been getting back in the swing of flying at night. It's had been a while (3 years) since I flew at night, so I'm not comfortable doing it with the family aboard yet.
 
I'm still training in SoCal, and the heat does limit the amount of time in the aircraft, especially if we're doing pattern work. An hour, and my CFI and I are pretty well soaked in sweat.

I've thought about the B-Kool product for when I earn my certificate. Any thoughts/PIREPs on that? Seems like a good solution on hot days, and can be removed (and increase useful load) when not needed.
 
Flew in FL. That air conditioned 172 was sure nice -- made instrument training fun.
 
The controllers for the Phoenix class B once asked me what altitude I wanted.

65 degrees please.

They were not amused....
 
Flying in the heat ,can be fun either fly to the beach or the mountains,depending on the winds and temp. Fly early,go high.
 
Zeldman said:
The controllers for the Phoenix class B once asked me what altitude I wanted.

65 degrees please.

They were not amused....
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Sunday evening we had 65°F at 7500 ft. at 8pm. It was about 101°F ambient on the ground (700 msl) with the ol' 182 loaded down. Took us a little while to get up to the cool, but it was pretty nice up there.
 
I usually fly when I have the time available, no matter the temperature. Sometimes it is hot, sometimes cold. I still enjoy it.
 
Mine aren't either, but I go by myself. I'm not going to let the temperatures run me away from the airport/airplane :).
 
When I fly the Cirrus I don't mind it. The Warrior is a completely different story.
 
This will sound weird. Probably because it is.
I will deliberately go out in extreme heat to understand and get a feel for aircraft performance differences. Also I don't mind the heat.
Way back in the day I was flying out of Eglin and places in S.E.A. in the heat of the day, so I have years of bad habits to break.
 
My Cub is tolerable in the evenings on the hottest days with both doors open and an altitude of 1500-2000' AGL. Don't fly the RV in the bad heat unless I can get up and climb to 4-5000'. The bubble canopy is HOT!


Jim R
Collierville, TN

N7155H--1946 Piper J-3 Cub
N3368K--1946 Globe GC-1B Swift
N4WJ--1994 Van's RV-4
 
Jim_R said:
I'm in Houston, so I feel your pain. I definitely try to avoid the heat of the day, and limit flying to early morning or evening time. If the sun's low on the horizon and you can get some altitude, temps are okay...it's just a matter of minimizing time on the ground and down low.

If you have to fly in the middle of the day, an ice chest air conditioner can help knock the temps down from "life endangering" to "survivable", though you really need to have it blowing right on you for it to do any good (which means your passengers still suffer until you can climb to cooler air).
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Just takes a while to get out of the bravo so you can climb!
 
Shepherd said:
This will sound weird. Probably because it is.
I will deliberately go out in extreme heat to understand and get a feel for aircraft performance differences. Also I don't mind the heat.
Way back in the day I was flying out of Eglin and places in S.E.A. in the heat of the day, so I have years of bad habits to break.
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Definitely good to have a feel for the performance in the heat. Doesn't sound all that weird.

On that note, I've been very pleased with the summertime performance of my 182. I was so used to the ol' rental 172, that the Skylane feel like a rocket ship in comparison. With the family aboard, we've been getting a comfortable 700-800 fpm initial climb, about 100 lbs. under gross, at 95+ degrees. Probably could do better, but I like to climb out about 10 mph above Vy to keep the engine cooler. 1 up and hot as hell, it'll still climb north of 1000 fpm. Not bad for an old timer.
 
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rbridges said:
fly early in the morning if I can. It's still in the 90's at 8pm. :(
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I hear that. It's a catch 22 here, though. The mornings are cooler, but humid. The evenings are still pretty hot, but drier. Pick your poison. At least it ain't freaking 110 every day like 1998 and 2012 :yes:
 
mkosmo said:
Just takes a while to get out of the bravo so you can climb!
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Yes, that's true. I'm on the east side of Houston, so if I'm flying west, I'm trapped for the first ~30 min under 2000 or 3000. If I'm going north or east, then (depending on which way they're landing at IAH) I can usually climb pretty quick.

Leaving town isn't so bad. Normally, if I want to go somewhere, I'm either leaving after work in the evening or as early as I can coerce my pax to get moving in the morning. Plus, even if you're "trapped" at 2000, it's still cooler than it was while you were sitting on the ramp doing the pre-start or taxiing for takeoff.

Coming home is worse. It's probably late afternoon. We've been cruising at some comfy-temperature altitude in smooth air, and then we get the dreaded instructions from ATC to start descending, and descending, and descending, until we're back down at 2000 and there's a blast furnace coming out of the vents, and there's still ~30 minutes of this to endure....hope there's some ice left in that ice chest air cooler back there!
 
N3368K said:
Don't fly the RV in the bad heat unless I can get up and climb to 4-5000'. The bubble canopy is HOT!


Jim R
Collierville, TN

N7155H--1946 Piper J-3 Cub
N3368K--1946 Globe GC-1B Swift
N4WJ--1994 Van's RV-4
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Never found that to be an issue. The airflow keep it at ambient temperature, except on the ground.
 
This is why I pledged to myself to never fly an unairconditioned plane in temps above 70 ever again. That may mean my first plane to own is an older Arrow or just stay in a club forever. Until I win the lottery.
 
Lived in NE Nevada for a wile, didn't enjoy the heat one bit. Living in Alaska past 20 years. Everyone here says we are having a heat wave when OAT is above 70F. I've been flying one a week since April and have enjoyed the incredible weather we have had this year. Normally lots of rain and low clouds not this year, global warming or something. I'll be headed out the door in about 1/2 and hour for a short cruse around the area. Happy flying, fall is just around the corner, temps should be coming down in the next month or two for you all in the southern states...
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evapilotaz said:
No one owns one of those portable ice ac units?
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I do, and it definitely helps when I use it, but it doesn't compare to your car's AC. If I take off from my hangar during the day, I can get it set up. If I depart from another airport, getting ice can be difficult.
 
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On that note, I've been very pleased with the summertime performance of my 182. I was so used to the ol' rental 172, that the Skylane feel like a rocket ship in comparison. With the family aboard, we've been getting a comfortable 700-800 fpm initial climb, about 100 lbs. under gross, at 95+ degrees. Probably could do better, but I like to climb out about 10 mph above Vy to keep the engine cooler. 1 up and hot as hell, it'll still climb north of 1000 fpm. Not bad for an old timer.
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A great airplane, the C-182. I'm glad you are enjoying yours, Andrew.
 
somorris said:
A great airplane, the C-182. I'm glad you are enjoying yours, Andrew.
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Thanks! The family and I have enjoyed it immensely these past few months. Ours is a bit homely, but it does what we ask of it quite well.
 
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