Cold is Good!

[Kyle Boatright]

It was under 20F here in Atlanta yesterday morning, but there was zero wind
and the sun was shining bright.

AND, I had the timer set to activate the sump heater from 4 AM until 8 AM.
Unfortunately, I didn't get to the airport until 9:00, so the engine was
lukewarm, not "oil temperature in the yellow" warm when it was time to start
the engine. I had to crank and crank to get the engine started. Two whole
blades passed before it fired. ;-)

Bumpety, bumpety, bump down the taxiway. The tires were cold. And flat
spotted from sitting for a week. If I'd been smart, I would have rolled the
aircraft a few inches back or forward when I set-up the timer for the
preheater.

Anyway, after enough ground idle to get the oil temperature into the yellow,
plus a run-up for a couple of bonus degrees, off I went, and what a ride!
Off the ground, keep it low, 140+ knots at the other end of the runway, and
up, up, up in a climbing turn into the crosswind... It is amazing how much
more performance the airplane has in 20F, compared to 90F.

Not a bump in the sky. And clear. 75+ miles of visibility clear. We don't
get that very often here. Upside down, rightside up, loops, rolls, barrel
rolls, plus a few awkward combinations nobody has named. Only problem was
that on my first loop, the headsets ended up in the baggage area...

3.5 G loops get spooky slow on top, and I'm a bit rusty on inverted spins...
Note to self: use 4 G's on loops, and pull to 4 immediately. Don't try and
sneak up on it.

There is a mythical 2,800' grass strip (Brigadoon?) NW of my home field.
I've never been able to find it. Until today! Allegedly the smoothest grass
strip in North GA. I idled across it at 100 knots, over and around the
farmhouse at the end, and back on the power once I was away from the houses.
It is good to be nice to people with airstrips. And their neighbors.

Oh, and by the way, despite the incredible weather, there were no other
airplanes in the sky until I headed back to the field. Everyone else must
turn on their pre-heaters after they get to the airport. That just leaves
more sky for those of us with pre-heaters.

[Jay Honeck]

> Anyway, after enough ground idle to get the oil temperature into the yellow,
> plus a run-up for a couple of bonus degrees, off I went, and what a ride!
> Off the ground, keep it low, 140+ knots at the other end of the runway, and
> up, up, up in a climbing turn into the crosswind... It is amazing how much
> more performance the airplane has in 20F, compared to 90F.

Ain't it great? I tell everyone I meet how great winter flying is, and
am often met with stares of incredulity. It seems a lot of guys park
'em in the fall, and break 'em out in the spring, and never touch 'em
in between. I think they're missing the best flying weather of the
year.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

[Leonard Ellis]

Amen. I took off to play a bit on Friday afternoon and pulled the Skyhawk
out of the hanger for some fun. I love her performance when the weather is
cool and clear and I'm flying by myself at half fuel. Certainly more fun
than a full gross takeoff in August!

Cheers,
Leonard
"Jay Honeck" > wrote in message
ups.com...
>> Anyway, after enough ground idle to get the oil temperature into the
>> yellow,
>> plus a run-up for a couple of bonus degrees, off I went, and what a ride!
>> Off the ground, keep it low, 140+ knots at the other end of the runway,
>> and
>> up, up, up in a climbing turn into the crosswind... It is amazing how
>> much
>> more performance the airplane has in 20F, compared to 90F.
>
> Ain't it great? I tell everyone I meet how great winter flying is, and
> am often met with stares of incredulity. It seems a lot of guys park
> 'em in the fall, and break 'em out in the spring, and never touch 'em
> in between. I think they're missing the best flying weather of the
> year.
> --
> Jay Honeck
> Iowa City, IA
> Pathfinder N56993
> www.AlexisParkInn.com
> "Your Aviation Destination"
>

[Ron Wanttaja]

Took the Fly Baby up last weekend, temperature 40 degrees on the ground. It's
OK once your face goes numb, but it's tough to talk on the radio! :-)

Ron Wanttaja

[Jim Macklin]

And you don't have to climb to 10,000 just to get some cool
air out of the vent.


"Leonard Ellis" > wrote in message
t...
| Amen. I took off to play a bit on Friday afternoon and
pulled the Skyhawk
| out of the hanger for some fun. I love her performance
when the weather is
| cool and clear and I'm flying by myself at half fuel.
Certainly more fun
| than a full gross takeoff in August!
|
| Cheers,
| Leonard
| "Jay Honeck" > wrote in message
|
ups.com...
| >> Anyway, after enough ground idle to get the oil
temperature into the
| >> yellow,
| >> plus a run-up for a couple of bonus degrees, off I
went, and what a ride!
| >> Off the ground, keep it low, 140+ knots at the other
end of the runway,
| >> and
| >> up, up, up in a climbing turn into the crosswind... It
is amazing how
| >> much
| >> more performance the airplane has in 20F, compared to
90F.
| >
| > Ain't it great? I tell everyone I meet how great winter
flying is, and
| > am often met with stares of incredulity. It seems a lot
of guys park
| > 'em in the fall, and break 'em out in the spring, and
never touch 'em
| > in between. I think they're missing the best flying
weather of the
| > year.
| > --
| > Jay Honeck
| > Iowa City, IA
| > Pathfinder N56993
| > www.AlexisParkInn.com
| > "Your Aviation Destination"
| >
|
|

[Jim Macklin]

You can get some nice full face protection from
www.cabelas.com or try a motorcycle shop/snowmobile.



"Ron Wanttaja" > wrote in message
...
| Took the Fly Baby up last weekend, temperature 40 degrees
on the ground. It's
| OK once your face goes numb, but it's tough to talk on the
radio! :-)
|
| Ron Wanttaja

[Matt Whiting]

Ron Wanttaja wrote:

> Took the Fly Baby up last weekend, temperature 40 degrees on the ground. It's
> OK once your face goes numb, but it's tough to talk on the radio! :-)
>
> Ron Wanttaja

You have a radio in a Fly Baby? That is sacrilege!

Matt

[Ron Wanttaja]

On Sun, 10 Dec 2006 12:54:36 -0600, "Jim Macklin"
> wrote:


>
>
>"Ron Wanttaja" > wrote in message
...
>> Took the Fly Baby up last weekend, temperature 40 degrees
>> on the ground. It's OK once your face goes numb, but it's tough to talk on the
>>radio! :-)
>
>You can get some nice full face protection from
>www.cabelas.com or try a motorcycle shop/snowmobile.

Yeah, but they look ugly. I wear a ski mask when the temps drop below 35 or so.

Ron Wanttaja

[Bob Noel]

In article om>,
"Jay Honeck" > wrote:

> Ain't it great? I tell everyone I meet how great winter flying is, and
> am often met with stares of incredulity. It seems a lot of guys park
> 'em in the fall, and break 'em out in the spring, and never touch 'em
> in between. I think they're missing the best flying weather of the
> year.

It's a bit nicer when you have a hangar. (>-{

--
Bob Noel
Looking for a sig the
lawyers will hate

[Jim Macklin]

You paint it to look like you're handsome.



"Ron Wanttaja" > wrote in message
...
| On Sun, 10 Dec 2006 12:54:36 -0600, "Jim Macklin"
| > wrote:
|
|
| >
| >
| >"Ron Wanttaja" > wrote in
message
| ...
| >> Took the Fly Baby up last weekend, temperature 40
degrees
| >> on the ground. It's OK once your face goes numb, but
it's tough to talk on the
| >>radio! :-)
| >
| >You can get some nice full face protection from
| >www.cabelas.com or try a motorcycle shop/snowmobile.
|
| Yeah, but they look ugly. I wear a ski mask when the temps
drop below 35 or so.
|
| Ron Wanttaja

[Blanche]

>In article om>,
> "Jay Honeck" > wrote:
>
>> Ain't it great? I tell everyone I meet how great winter flying is, and
>> am often met with stares of incredulity. It seems a lot of guys park
>> 'em in the fall, and break 'em out in the spring, and never touch 'em
>> in between. I think they're missing the best flying weather of the
>> year.

I'm surprised that the Colorado Pilots Assoc only plans flyins
from April to Oct. And about a third of them have weather problems.
This year we had 15 CPA-sponsored
flyins, of which I could only make it to 2, mostly distance. It's not
much fun when half of them require 6-8 hours of flight time for me,
each way. The one I really wanted to attend was to Omaha, NE to
visit the SAC museum. Really bad weather -- very high winds.

Now is the time the Tstorms and density altitude are gone. This is
a great time to fly!

[Ron Wanttaja]

On Sun, 10 Dec 2006 14:49:56 -0600, "Jim Macklin"
> wrote:

>> >> Took the Fly Baby up last weekend, temperature 40 degrees
>> >> on the ground. It's OK once your face goes numb, but
>> >> it's tough to talk on the radio! :-)
>> >
>> >You can get some nice full face protection from
>> >www.cabelas.com or try a motorcycle shop/snowmobile.
>>
>> Yeah, but they look ugly. I wear a ski mask when the temps
>> drop below 35 or so.
>
>You paint it to look like you're handsome.

I don't think they *make* that much paint! :-)

My wife just bought me a new flying helmet that avoids the ugly look of
motorcycle helmets. It's got full-face protection, stylish appearance, and
actually helps in aerodynamic control:

http://www.bowersflybaby.com/helmet.jpg

The trouble is, it makes me look like a hood ornament....

Ron Wanttaja

[Steven Barnes]

I went up today in our Cherokee 180 to knock some rust off. Had full fuel,
but was by myself. Tried to do a short field take-off, but after rotating &
pitching up to an insane attitude, I was still about 5 knots above Vx.

Cool.


"Jim Macklin" > wrote in message
...
> And you don't have to climb to 10,000 just to get some cool
> air out of the vent.
>
>
> "Leonard Ellis" > wrote in message
> t...
> | Amen. I took off to play a bit on Friday afternoon and
> pulled the Skyhawk
> | out of the hanger for some fun. I love her performance
> when the weather is
> | cool and clear and I'm flying by myself at half fuel.
> Certainly more fun
> | than a full gross takeoff in August!
> |
> | Cheers,
> | Leonard
> | "Jay Honeck" > wrote in message
> |
> ups.com...
> | >> Anyway, after enough ground idle to get the oil
> temperature into the
> | >> yellow,
> | >> plus a run-up for a couple of bonus degrees, off I
> went, and what a ride!
> | >> Off the ground, keep it low, 140+ knots at the other
> end of the runway,
> | >> and
> | >> up, up, up in a climbing turn into the crosswind... It
> is amazing how
> | >> much
> | >> more performance the airplane has in 20F, compared to
> 90F.
> | >
> | > Ain't it great? I tell everyone I meet how great winter
> flying is, and
> | > am often met with stares of incredulity. It seems a lot
> of guys park
> | > 'em in the fall, and break 'em out in the spring, and
> never touch 'em
> | > in between. I think they're missing the best flying
> weather of the
> | > year.
> | > --
> | > Jay Honeck
> | > Iowa City, IA
> | > Pathfinder N56993
> | > www.AlexisParkInn.com
> | > "Your Aviation Destination"
> | >
> |
> |
>
>

[Montblack]

("Ron Wanttaja" wrote)
> http://www.bowersflybaby.com/helmet.jpg
>
> The trouble is, it makes me look like a hood ornament....


vs. ??

Actually, I think it might make you look like an adornment off the Chrysler
building. <g>
http://www.fortunecity.com/victorian/statue/1287/English/ArtDeco/chrysler/icon.htm


Montblack-deco

[Ron Wanttaja]

On Sun, 10 Dec 2006 19:19:04 -0600, "Montblack"
> wrote:

>("Ron Wanttaja" wrote)
>> http://www.bowersflybaby.com/helmet.jpg
>>
>> The trouble is, it makes me look like a hood ornament....
>
>
>vs. ??

Sigh. I'm starting to think no one else even SAW the movie....

Ron "We got a gazebo" Wanttaja

[Morgans[_2_]]

"Ron Wanttaja" > wrote

> Yeah, but they look ugly. I wear a ski mask when the temps drop below 35 or
> so.

And a ski mask doesn't ???

You need to seriously look for a new fashion adviser. <g>
--
Jim in NC

[Morgans[_2_]]

"Ron Wanttaja" > wrote in message
...
> On Sun, 10 Dec 2006 19:19:04 -0600, "Montblack"
> > wrote:
>
>>("Ron Wanttaja" wrote)
>>> http://www.bowersflybaby.com/helmet.jpg
>>>
>>> The trouble is, it makes me look like a hood ornament....
>>
>>
>>vs. ??
>
> Sigh. I'm starting to think no one else even SAW the movie....


Ahhh, "Rocket Man" ?
--
Jim in NC

[Blanche]

Morgans > wrote:
>
>"Ron Wanttaja" > wrote in message
>> On Sun, 10 Dec 2006 19:19:04 -0600, "Montblack"
>>>("Ron Wanttaja" wrote)
>>>> http://www.bowersflybaby.com/helmet.jpg
>>>>
>>>> The trouble is, it makes me look like a hood ornament....
>>>
>>>vs. ??
>>
>> Sigh. I'm starting to think no one else even SAW the movie....
>
>
>Ahhh, "Rocket Man" ?

Goes back even further than the movie. It was a serial in the
50s on television.

[Morgans[_2_]]

"Blanche" > wrote

> Goes back even further than the movie. It was a serial in the
> 50s on television.

I'll have to plead ignorance. I was only 1 in '59! <g>
--
Jim in NC

[Ron Wanttaja]

On 11 Dec 2006 04:23:43 GMT, Blanche > wrote:

>Morgans > wrote:
>>
>>"Ron Wanttaja" > wrote in message
>>> On Sun, 10 Dec 2006 19:19:04 -0600, "Montblack"
>>>>("Ron Wanttaja" wrote)
>>>>> http://www.bowersflybaby.com/helmet.jpg
>>>>>
>>>>> The trouble is, it makes me look like a hood ornament....
>>>>
>>>>vs. ??
>>>
>>> Sigh. I'm starting to think no one else even SAW the movie....
>>
>>
>>Ahhh, "Rocket Man" ?
>
>Goes back even further than the movie. It was a serial in the
>50s on television.

Too far back! Try 1991....

http://www.alyon.org/generale/theatre/cinema/affiches_cinema/r/rev-roo/rocketeer.jpg

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0102803/

Ron Wanttaja

[Morgans[_2_]]

"Ron Wanttaja" > wrote
>
> Too far back! Try 1991....
>
> http://www.alyon.org/generale/theatre/cinema/affiches_cinema/r/rev-roo/rocketeer.jpg
>
> http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0102803/

That is the one I was thinking about, but I got the name wrong.

I liked it OK; kinda' brainless fluff, but sometimes that's where my head is at!
<g>
--
Jim in NC

[Gene Seibel]

Kyle Boatright wrote:
>
> Oh, and by the way, despite the incredible weather, there were no other
> airplanes in the sky until I headed back to the field. Everyone else must
> turn on their pre-heaters after they get to the airport. That just leaves
> more sky for those of us with pre-heaters.

Yes, with a hangar and preheater winter flying is great. Only downsides
are that the Cherokee rear seat doesn't get much heat and sometimes
it's inconvenient to plug in at a cross country destination. Over at
Richmond Indiana they actually have a bank of electrical outlets at the
edge of the ramp.
--
Gene Seibel
Tales of Flight - http://pad39a.com/gene/tales.html
Because I fly, I envy no one.

[Blanche]

From imdb.com:

"1949's "King of the Rocket Men" was the first of three serials from Republic Pictures featuring a man wearing essentially the same rocket suit and helmet. The other two, both released in 1952, were "Radar Men From the Moon" and "Zombies of the Stratosphere."

But the best part, is this comment, also on imdb:

"The third serial, "Zombies," while not remade, is probably the best remembered since it marked the science-fiction feature film acting debut of Leonard Nimoy (later, Mr. Spock of Star Trek fame) playing Narab, a Martian zombie."

This I remember seeing sometime in the past few years. I think it was part
of a retrospective of Nimoy and/or Star Trek actors.

[[email protected]]

Kyle Boatright wrote:
> It was under 20F here in Atlanta yesterday morning, but there was zero wind
> and the sun was shining bright.

20°F cold? Not here. -20°F more like it. Then the airplane
REALLY performs, but the engine never warms up. Nor does the
Wichita-designed cabin heater. And TAS goes way down. Air's too thick
and draggy.
That cold air you have there was here a little over a week ago.
Temps reached -33°C (-27°F) and we quit flying. Now, for about the
eighth day, it's above 0°C (+32°F) in Chinook conditions, and warmer
in some of our towns above the 60th parallel than in Atlanta.
In Calgary the other day it reached 8°C (+46°F). No more
snow. Shorts and T-shirts everywhere. After -33, +8 is plenty balmy.

Dan, in Canada

[AJ]

"Rocketeer" came, went and was forgotten. Maybe unjustly so.

AJ

[Kyle Boatright]

> wrote in message
ups.com...

Kyle Boatright wrote:
> It was under 20F here in Atlanta yesterday morning, but there was zero
> wind
> and the sun was shining bright.

20°F cold? Not here. -20°F more like it. Then the airplane
REALLY performs, but the engine never warms up. Nor does the
Wichita-designed cabin heater. And TAS goes way down. Air's too thick
and draggy.
That cold air you have there was here a little over a week ago.
Temps reached -33°C (-27°F) and we quit flying. Now, for about the
eighth day, it's above 0°C (+32°F) in Chinook conditions, and warmer
in some of our towns above the 60th parallel than in Atlanta.
In Calgary the other day it reached 8°C (+46°F). No more
snow. Shorts and T-shirts everywhere. After -33, +8 is plenty balmy.

Dan, in Canada

You know, the 20F wasn't cold here Saturday morning. The sun was shining
fairly strong and there was no wind. Now if it had been cloudy and/or windy,
and/or damp, 20F is bad... As far as temperatures go, the oil temperatures
barely made it into the green, but the cabin heat did just fine. As did the
bubble canopy, which really brings in the heat when the sun is out - Summer
;-( or Winter ;-).

-33C? No thanks. I spent a few minutes in a -40C flash freezer once upon a
time dressed in a thing shirt and jacket. No fun at all.

I'm thinking anywhere between 20F and 40F is ideal flying weather as long as
you have a pre-heater and the sun is out...

KB

[Kyle Boatright]

"Kyle Boatright" > wrote in message
. ..
>
> > wrote in message
> ups.com...
>
> Kyle Boatright wrote:
>> It was under 20F here in Atlanta yesterday morning, but there was zero
>> wind
>> and the sun was shining bright.
>
> 20°F cold? Not here. -20°F more like it. Then the airplane
> REALLY performs, but the engine never warms up. Nor does the
> Wichita-designed cabin heater. And TAS goes way down. Air's too thick
> and draggy.
> That cold air you have there was here a little over a week ago.
> Temps reached -33°C (-27°F) and we quit flying. Now, for about the
> eighth day, it's above 0°C (+32°F) in Chinook conditions, and warmer
> in some of our towns above the 60th parallel than in Atlanta.
> In Calgary the other day it reached 8°C (+46°F). No more
> snow. Shorts and T-shirts everywhere. After -33, +8 is plenty balmy.
>
> Dan, in Canada
>
> You know, the 20F wasn't cold here Saturday morning. The sun was shining
> fairly strong and there was no wind. Now if it had been cloudy and/or
> windy, and/or damp, 20F is bad... As far as temperatures go, the oil
> temperatures barely made it into the green, but the cabin heat did just
> fine. As did the bubble canopy, which really brings in the heat when the
> sun is out - Summer ;-( or Winter ;-).
>
> -33C? No thanks. I spent a few minutes in a -40C flash freezer once upon
> a time dressed in a thing shirt and jacket. No fun at all.

I, of course, meant to write "thin shirt". I don't even want to know what a
"thing shirt" might be.

>
> I'm thinking anywhere between 20F and 40F is ideal flying weather as long
> as you have a pre-heater and the sun is out...
>
> KB
>

KB

[Jay Honeck]

> 20°F cold? Not here. -20°F more like it. Then the airplane
> REALLY performs, but the engine never warms up. Nor does the
> Wichita-designed cabin heater.

Strangely, the ones designed in Vero Beach, FL work MUCH better.

We fly in light sweaters in temps down to zero -- and really the only
reason we're not in shirtsleeves is for crash safety. That Piper
heater will melt your tennis shoes to the floor, if you're not careful!
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"