wrote:
For a standard trainer type airplane does anyone (who owns one not used
for training) go out to the airport when not flying just to wipe the
snow off? Does the weight of snow and/or ice damage surfaces, etc?

I own a Cherokee 140. As "trainer" as they come.

I go out often because the airport is less than 2 miles away. I also try
to fly it at least once a week for an hour to get the oil up to temp and
boil off any water in the crankcase. Yep, I clean it off to FLY it.

After nearly 12 years of owning the beast, going out often to clear off
the plane and shovel around it has always been better than leaving it
until the storm is over and I have a huge mess to clean up. Also, if I
clean it often, it is always "ready to fly" if we get a good day or two
in the middle of the week. Yeah, it can be tough to preflight in the
dark on a cold evening during the week after a day of work. But, the
flights are usually spectacular. Dead calm air, quiet as a tomb at the
airport, nobody around in the air for miles, and no dimbulbs out there
clicking the runway lights up and down.

Good Luck,
Mike