Snow-covered airplane

So what do we do with a snow-covered airplane to fly it? The snow pushes
off easily enough, so none of it appears to be stuck ice. Is it enough to
push it off with a broom, or should I have the FBO give it some de-ice as
well?

I trained in a Cherokee 140 that was kept outside, tied down, in Wisconsin,
in winter -- so this was a distressingly familiar situation for me.

Everything depends on the amount and kind of snow. A light, fluffy snow
can be easily brushed off with your gloves, if it's cold enough. If it's
started to melt, you might still be okay, as the top layer may have become
crusty, but the bottom (against the plane) is still fluffy. This type can
also be brushed off.

If you get a lot of snow, and it's wet, you've a real chore. Start with a
push broom, to get the majority off. (I've even had to use a shovel, if it
was completely encrusted -- but you've got to be incredibly careful.) Then
I'd go back with a regular broom, to clear out the details. Be especially
attentive to seams, hinges, and openings, as blowing snow can get inside
them.

If it's icy, you can beat the wings of a metal plane with a gloved hand, and
the snow/ice will shatter. It can then be swept away. The object is to get
the tops and leading edges of the wings and tail surfaces absolutely clear
of any snow or ice. You don't have to be quite so picky with the fuselage,
but get it as clean as you can.

I never used de-icing fluid, mostly because the little airport I was flying
at didn't have any. You can eventually remove just about any amount of
snow and ice by hand -- it's just an exercise in patience and stamina.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:ldl6c.35129$1p.541233@attbi_s54...

I never used de-icing fluid, mostly because the little airport I was
flying
at didn't have any.

On frosty mornings I just used a dilute solution of anti-freeze dispensed
from a garden sprayer. Doesn't seem to hurt the finish any.

Andrew,

I'm digging out of the same snow (I'm at N07, I think you're at CDW right?).
Jay pretty much covered the basics except for on a high wing a broom is
pretty much mandatory (either that or a stepladder, or better yet both).

I start with either a soft brush or gloved hands and I DO use deicer to help
get some of the ice off. You can get the orange stuff (I think it's called
"ice-off") from spruce or wag-aero, something like $20 a gallon.

I have two knocks against ice-off:

1) It's orange and quite noticeable. Good when you're applying, but you'll
want to wash the plane when it gets a little warmer.

2) It's not a miracle liquid, it relies on thermo as well as chemical
properties to help remove ice. That is, for serious ice you'll need to
apply it warm. They sell outrageously priced hot applicators if you want to
go this route. I didn't, I bought a cheap plastic "fertilizer" applicator
from home depot.

I'm gradually coming to believe that the ice-off is a waste of money unless
you buy the hot applicator. In actual use, I've usually had to resort to
one of Jay's methods where you press lightly on the skin to pop the ice off.
However, the ice-off works great for frost. Next year, I'm going to just
bite the bullet and buy wing covers. Note that I don't have the FBO deice
option. If they have a hot applicator and the price is reasonable, you may
prefer that route (unless it's just wet snow in relatively warm temps, which
is pretty easy to get off).

Two last notes:

1) On a low wing, if one side is perpetually in shade (as in my spot), the
ice accumulation takes serious effort to remove. This winter in particular
a "warm" day would still leave ice encrusted on the wing walk.

2) Pay attention to BOTH sides of the stabilator/elevator as the bottom is
the main flying surface (unless you own a canard?). Yes, ice can accumulate
there as well.

best of luck,
mark

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:ldl6c.35129$1p.541233@attbi_s54...
So what do we do with a snow-covered airplane to fly it? The snow
pushes
off easily enough, so none of it appears to be stuck ice. Is it enough
to
push it off with a broom, or should I have the FBO give it some de-ice
as
well?

I trained in a Cherokee 140 that was kept outside, tied down, in
Wisconsin,
in winter -- so this was a distressingly familiar situation for me.

Everything depends on the amount and kind of snow. A light, fluffy snow
can be easily brushed off with your gloves, if it's cold enough. If it's
started to melt, you might still be okay, as the top layer may have become
crusty, but the bottom (against the plane) is still fluffy. This type
can
also be brushed off.

If you get a lot of snow, and it's wet, you've a real chore. Start with a
push broom, to get the majority off. (I've even had to use a shovel, if
it
was completely encrusted -- but you've got to be incredibly careful.)
Then
I'd go back with a regular broom, to clear out the details. Be especially
attentive to seams, hinges, and openings, as blowing snow can get inside
them.

If it's icy, you can beat the wings of a metal plane with a gloved hand,
and
the snow/ice will shatter. It can then be swept away. The object is to
get
the tops and leading edges of the wings and tail surfaces absolutely clear
of any snow or ice. You don't have to be quite so picky with the
fuselage,
but get it as clean as you can.

I never used de-icing fluid, mostly because the little airport I was
flying
at didn't have any. You can eventually remove just about any amount of
snow and ice by hand -- it's just an exercise in patience and stamina.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Mark Astley wrote:


I'm digging out of the same snow (I'm at N07, I think you're at CDW
right?). Jay pretty much covered the basics except for on a high wing a
broom is pretty much mandatory (either that or a stepladder, or better yet
both).

Yes, CDW. Yes, High-wing.

I bought a broom on the way out to the airport. It worked well. There was
a little piece here or there when I was done with one wing. I did the
other wing. When I returned to the first, all the remainder had melted
off.

No de-ice necessary.

[...]

1) On a low wing, if one side is perpetually in shade (as in my spot), the
ice accumulation takes serious effort to remove. This winter in
particular a "warm" day would still leave ice encrusted on the wing walk.

I've seen this on the elevator which is in the shade of the rudder, even on
my macho high-wings.

So now my club has a broom.

Thanks...

Andrew

You might want to try propylene glycol (*not* ethylene glycol) which is sold
as RV antifreeze. It is probably the same stuff as the "ice-off" that
Sportys sells (but way cheaper at the auto parts store).

Mike
MU-2


"Mark Astley" wrote in message
...
Andrew,

I'm digging out of the same snow (I'm at N07, I think you're at CDW
right?).
Jay pretty much covered the basics except for on a high wing a broom is
pretty much mandatory (either that or a stepladder, or better yet both).

I start with either a soft brush or gloved hands and I DO use deicer to
help
get some of the ice off. You can get the orange stuff (I think it's
called
"ice-off") from spruce or wag-aero, something like $20 a gallon.

I have two knocks against ice-off:

1) It's orange and quite noticeable. Good when you're applying, but
you'll
want to wash the plane when it gets a little warmer.

2) It's not a miracle liquid, it relies on thermo as well as chemical
properties to help remove ice. That is, for serious ice you'll need to
apply it warm. They sell outrageously priced hot applicators if you want
to
go this route. I didn't, I bought a cheap plastic "fertilizer" applicator
from home depot.

I'm gradually coming to believe that the ice-off is a waste of money
unless
you buy the hot applicator. In actual use, I've usually had to resort to
one of Jay's methods where you press lightly on the skin to pop the ice
off.
However, the ice-off works great for frost. Next year, I'm going to just
bite the bullet and buy wing covers. Note that I don't have the FBO deice
option. If they have a hot applicator and the price is reasonable, you
may
prefer that route (unless it's just wet snow in relatively warm temps,
which
is pretty easy to get off).

Two last notes:

1) On a low wing, if one side is perpetually in shade (as in my spot), the
ice accumulation takes serious effort to remove. This winter in
particular
a "warm" day would still leave ice encrusted on the wing walk.

2) Pay attention to BOTH sides of the stabilator/elevator as the bottom is
the main flying surface (unless you own a canard?). Yes, ice can
accumulate
there as well.

best of luck,
mark

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:ldl6c.35129$1p.541233@attbi_s54...
So what do we do with a snow-covered airplane to fly it? The snow
pushes
off easily enough, so none of it appears to be stuck ice. Is it
enough
to
push it off with a broom, or should I have the FBO give it some de-ice
as
well?

I trained in a Cherokee 140 that was kept outside, tied down, in
Wisconsin,
in winter -- so this was a distressingly familiar situation for me.

Everything depends on the amount and kind of snow. A light, fluffy
snow
can be easily brushed off with your gloves, if it's cold enough. If
it's
started to melt, you might still be okay, as the top layer may have
become
crusty, but the bottom (against the plane) is still fluffy. This type
can
also be brushed off.

If you get a lot of snow, and it's wet, you've a real chore. Start with
a
push broom, to get the majority off. (I've even had to use a shovel, if
it
was completely encrusted -- but you've got to be incredibly careful.)
Then
I'd go back with a regular broom, to clear out the details. Be
especially
attentive to seams, hinges, and openings, as blowing snow can get inside
them.

If it's icy, you can beat the wings of a metal plane with a gloved hand,
and
the snow/ice will shatter. It can then be swept away. The object is to
get
the tops and leading edges of the wings and tail surfaces absolutely
clear
of any snow or ice. You don't have to be quite so picky with the
fuselage,
but get it as clean as you can.

I never used de-icing fluid, mostly because the little airport I was
flying
at didn't have any. You can eventually remove just about any amount of
snow and ice by hand -- it's just an exercise in patience and stamina.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"