Shorter days, colder nights means it’s time to consider winter flight operations.

Keep in mind, below 20° F in an open field survival time is measured in minutes. With a filed flight plan it takes rescue personnel five hours, on average, to find you and days without a flight plan.  The use of cold weather gear (gloves, hats, boots, warm coats, and CELL PHONE) should be taken seriously as well as planning routes closer to locations where you’re more likely to find help should you be faced with an off-airport landing scenario.

Always call ahead to verify conditions at airports of intended use if in doubt. Cold-soaked airplanes may require engine pre-heat.

Sporty’s ECA operations limits:

At or Below 32°F (0°C) Carry cold weather gear including gloves, hat, boots, warm coats, and cell phone.

5°F to 20°F (-15 to -7°C) Engine precautions should be considered (avoid long idle periods while in-flight, aggressive power changes, etc.); clothing as above.

Below 5°F (-15°C) No operations authorized without prior permission.

Contamination
Any aircraft with frost, ice, or snow on any surface is considered unairworthy and appropriate action must be taken. Approved actions are limited and include moving the aircraft to a heated hangar, repositioning the aircraft to defrost with the assistance of the sun, and/or clearing loose snow from the aircraft with the approved snow removal broom. No other actions may be performed without approval from management. When combating these issues during non-local flights, please consult the SOF or the Chief Pilots Office for guidance.

Priming carbureted engines
When starting an engine that has not been run for several hours during cold weather, be sure to prime the engine, verify that magnetos are off, and manually pull the prop through several times before reentering the aircraft. After reentering the aircraft, be sure to prime again, then start the engine. On normally aspirated engines, use prime to feed in extra fuel if necessary.

Engine Fires
If an engine fire should occur, be sure to keep cranking the engine to pull in the fire. If the engine does not start immediately, the mixture control should be pulled, but keep cranking to pull in the fire.

Fire Precautions
Be sure you know where fire extinguishers are located (both inside the aircraft and near tie-downs) before attempting a start.

Snow Covered and Icy Runway Operations.

A. Use caution walking on snow/ice covered ramps and when pulling aircraft out of hangar.

B. Aircraft wheel pants (covers) may become packed with snow/slush and freeze.

C. Do not use aircraft parking brakes. They may freeze in the parked position.

D. Proper crosswind corrections are needed from start-up until the plane is tied down. Aircraft will weather vane more easily in icy conditions.

E. Aircraft with free castering nose/tail wheels may not be controllable on icy surfaces requiring braking during ground maneuvering.

F. Taxi extremely slowly with minimal nose steering.

G. Avoid brakes during a slide. Use aerodynamic controls (rudder) for steering. (Add power to attempt to straighten the aircraft out and give the rudder a boost with prop wash.)

H. Be prepared to shut down engine if sliding off runway or taxiway becomes imminent.

I. Avoid taxiing through slush/standing water. If unavoidable, ride brakes through water/slush to prevent freezing.

J. Avoid taxiing with flaps extended (especially on low wing aircraft). Frozen debris may accumulate and interfere with complete flap retraction in the air.

K. Treat snowy/icy runways as you would a soft field. Use soft field taxi/takeoff/landing techniques.

L. Limit operations in gusty conditions.

M. Use a clear patch for run-up. If unable, perform run-up on the takeoff roll; be prepared to abort.

N. Plan for much longer takeoff and/or landing distances. (Deep snow could prevent acceleration needed for takeoff; thin ice could mean stopping on available runway is not possible.)

O. Accumulations of ice on landing gear may interfere with gear retraction. Wet or slushy landing gear should be cycled a couple of times to ensure that gear does not freeze into the retracted position.

P. Minimal braking on landing. Pump brakes if necessary as opposed to holding continuous pressure.

Q. Use caution braking on “patchy” (alternating clear and ice covered) conditions to avoid blown tires.

R. Leave flaps/spoilers extended on landing for maximum aerodynamic braking.

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