{{ you forgot about "...(pre-heat, wing covers, gasoline running down your arm while sumping)..." }} [[Capt Murphy says!!]]
Ugg, old rovings not wanting to reseat in the cold is soo annoying.
Flying in Flurries
- Thread starter darthnomster
- Start date
Ugg, old rovings not wanting to reseat in the cold is soo annoying.
flyingcheesehead
Touchdown! Greaser!
Here we pop back to the answer, "It depends". I'm not mocking you, in fact the opposite. I face the same dilemma every time I am posed with the question, so I completely empathize with your frustration in the answers not providing clarity.
Well, it DOES depend. There was a fascinating article that Mari linked to here a couple years ago about the icing research folks at NASA-Glenn, who know more about airframe icing than anyone. They stated that even when all of the conditions are "right" for icing, you only pick it up about 20% of the time. If those guys can't predict it 100%, well, clearly it's a very complex problem!
Heavy, wet snow may stick. I've never had that happen, but I'm not sure if that's because it doesn't happen or because I don't fly in heavy, wet snow.
VFR, if you can see through to the other side or you can maintain *good* visibility (not just 3 miles, but at least 7-10), go for it.
OAT at or below freezing plus visible moisture doesn't automatically equal icing - The colder it is, the more likely that visible moisture is already frozen. It can also be supercooled liquid which will turn to ice upon making contact with your airplane, but that's generally seen as freezing rain, not snow.
Go forth, be careful, always have an out or three, learn, and get thy instrument rating.
dell30rb
Final Approach
I was in snow last week. Near freezing, just below it. Nothing stuck, but the snow made a big effect when it hit the prop.
dell30rb
Final Approach
{{ you forgot about "...(pre-heat, wing covers, gasoline running down your arm while sumping)..." }} [[Capt Murphy says!!]]
At least Avgas dries up quick and does not stink like mogas