Winter Wonderland

LDJones

LDJones

Touchdown! Greaser!
Gone West
Joined
Sep 6, 2011
Messages
10,998
Location
Twin Cities, MN
Display Name
Jonesy
Home Airfield
KMSP / KFCM / KSGS
I realize not everyone will appreciate this, but winter flying can have its beautiful moments...at least as long as the heater is working. I learned to fly in the winter so there may be nostalgia factor in there. In any event, This is what I saw today while out playing in the Jabiru Light Sport:

20121230-193728.jpg


http://www.mnaviationpro.com/2012/12/30/winter-wonderland/
 
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I love most everything about Winter except when the City plows snow in front of my hanger. I should have taken a picture to show you. Good thing I was working on and not planning to fly the airplane yesterday.
 
I remember flights like that, nice and white. Smooth air.
But too cold
 
Nice shot! Reminds me of the days in Iowa doing a run-up 'on the go' because the taxiways and runways were so slick that brakes were worthless.
 
Took this last week..

It ain't winter yet..... but we are workin on it..:)
 

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Loren, which direction were you headed and approximately where were you when you captured that image? I know most of the lakes around Minneapolis by sight, especially on the west side but I can't place that one.
 
When we lived in snow country I was always amazed when people put their planes away in November, and didn't touch them until April. That's some of the best flying there is!

Preflight sucks. Digging out the hangar door sucks. Wrapping the plane with a nose blanket before you go to lunch somewhere sucks. Running 50 feet of frozen extension cord to an ice-filled outlet sucks. Virtually everything else about flying in winter sucks.

But the flying itself is AWESOME. :D
 
Jay Honeck said:
When we lived in snow country I was always amazed when people put their planes away in November, and didn't touch them until April. That's some of the best flying there is!

Preflight sucks. Digging out the hangar door sucks. Wrapping the plane with a nose blanket before you go to lunch somewhere sucks. Running 50 feet of frozen extension cord to an ice-filled outlet sucks. Virtually everything else about flying in winter sucks.

But the flying itself is AWESOME. :D
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With all the water around here, winter provides a lot more good emergency landing sites as well.
 
gismo said:
Loren, which direction were you headed and approximately where were you when you captured that image? I know most of the lakes around Minneapolis by sight, especially on the west side but I can't place that one.
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The photo is looking southwest at about 3:30 pm. The lake is Geis Lake located about 8 nm south of KFCM, about two miles west of Spring Lake. I've lived here 17 yrs and had to research the name of that little lake. I've never been aware of it before now....but we have lots of little lakes/ponds/waterholes!
 
Jay Honeck said:
When we lived in snow country I was always amazed when people put their planes away in November, and didn't touch them until April. That's some of the best flying there is!

Preflight sucks. Digging out the hangar door sucks. Wrapping the plane with a nose blanket before you go to lunch somewhere sucks. Running 50 feet of frozen extension cord to an ice-filled outlet sucks. Virtually everything else about flying in winter sucks.

But the flying itself is AWESOME. :D
Click to expand...

You pretty much nailed cold country aviation!
 
it was pretty cold flying in Daytona today, just under 80. Preflight was with a windbreaker, brrr.
Although I will say, it did dip into the thirtys around Christmas week, Now thats cold for us Floridians.
The snow cover is pretty from 2000 miles away. Thanks for sharing.
 
DaytonaLynn said:
it was pretty cold flying in Daytona today, just under 80. Preflight was with a windbreaker, brrr.
Although I will say, it did dip into the thirtys around Christmas week, Now thats cold for us Floridians.
The snow cover is pretty from 2000 miles away. Thanks for sharing.
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Under 80??! Brrrrr, indeed! :wink2:
 
I love flying in cold clear weather. Preflights are done in freezing cold weather but both the plane and helo have great heaters. A pair of thinsulate gloves and a skull cap keeps the cold weather preflight tolerable in the sun. It's the night preflights that really hurt.
We had just a trace of snow on Christmas and 3 inches (not the 8-12 they predicted) on Saturday.
I wouldn't trade New England weather for anywhere. Even the best prognosticators get the weather wrong... It's always an adventure.
 
Jay Honeck said:
When we lived in snow country I was always amazed when people put their planes away in November, and didn't touch them until April. That's some of the best flying there is!
Click to expand...

No kidding... Maybe they just don't know what they're missing.

Preflight sucks. Digging out the hangar door sucks. Wrapping the plane with a nose blanket before you go to lunch somewhere sucks. Running 50 feet of frozen extension cord to an ice-filled outlet sucks. Virtually everything else about flying in winter sucks.

But the flying itself is AWESOME. :D
Click to expand...

Our flying club has a great situation. Preflight is done inside the hangar. The hangar belongs to the FBO, and they tow the planes in and out for us, so no digging. We've got nice cowl plugs for all the airplanes, and they keep the heat in pretty well without needing to put a blanket on during a $100 burger run (and there are extension cords in the locker to take with and plug in the engine heaters if it is really cold or if you'll be away longer).

So, preflight inside, then sit in the plane while the line guys tow you out onto the ramp, then enjoy the awesome winter flying. :D

It's a bit harder for me this winter with the Mooney, but my hangar faces west and gets a decent amount of sun, so the only problem I've had so far is about a 1-foot wide ice sheet about an inch thick across in front of the hangar. I still preflight inside, and I have cowl plugs and a blanket I throw over the top of the cowl.

It's worth it, though... The plane loves to fly in this nice thick air! I've been climbing out at 140 KIAS and still better than 1200 fpm. :D
 
We've been letting students preflight in the heated hangar, but they get to help pull it outside!
 
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