Thread: Cold is Good!
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Old December 12th 06, 01:54 AM posted to rec.aviation.piloting
Kyle Boatright
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Default Cold is Good!


"Kyle Boatright" wrote in message
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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