What can happen though is that the small water content in the valve does
freeze, nad then you'll have a bloody leaking valve.

"Marc Ramsey" wrote in message
...
Francisco De Almeida wrote:
The German manufacturers would rather have their customers release the =
tail ballast at +2=BAC. I suspect solar radiation is the reason why =
people can keep their water at lower air temperatures without =
immediately being awarded a split tailplane.
So if you have both outside temperatures below 2=BAC and no sunlight ...
=
beware!

I've been assuming that solar heating is the reason that the tail ballast
doesn't end up freezing during these summer flights. At a few degrees
below 0C in shadow, it should still take something more than an hour for a
few liters of water to freeze to the extent that it would cause structural
damage. Lack of lift and cold toes would cause me to seek warmer environs
long before that point...