Winter flying

[1avidflyer 1983]

Hi all,  I got some flying in today in the Kitfox 4 that I just rebuilt.  Lakes are all froze over so we did some landings on lakes.  Kind of cloudy/hazy sort of day, so with a smooth layer of snow, it was really hard to see the surface.  Everything blends in kind of.  Funny how these planes can learn how to fly.  It seems my Kitfox is getting the hang of it.  Cruises right along, climbs like a home sick angel.  Here are a couple of pics I shot today,  my flying partner was in the Chief.  A good time was had.  Other pic show airspeed in the cobbled up corrected ASI, VSI says I'm climbing just a bit, and the tack shows 5236 for rpm.  I know I have to get my ASI color labels in.... Soon.  JImChuk

 

Edited 21 Dec 2020 by 1avidflyer

[TJay 1041]

The asi tells my your doing 115 That is the picture I would be showing people ha.

[1avidflyer 1983]

The asi tells my your doing 115 That is the picture I would be showing people ha.

You must be a fisherman.  (how long was the fish you caught???)    I've got a bunch of ASIs and none of them are accurate.  Well either way, it was a fun afternoon.  We got a couple more inches of snow last night, so I should put the skis on today.  JImChuk

[Yamma-Fox 403]

Sounds like fun!

I've been tied up at work but my plane has been sitting out on the ice, it tied up too with its frozen-in "dead man"  under ice anchors and wing covers.  I'm just waiting for a day off with good weather then hopefully we can meet up Jim.

 

[1avidflyer 1983]

Sounds like a plan.  

[Av8r3400 1179]

I wish my boss would fire me, then I'd come up and join you...

[1avidflyer 1983]

Tell her you're going to change a windshield....  JImChuk

[1avidflyer 1983]

Well we got socked with the blizzard that came through northern Mn, so now we have lots of snow for skis, and to much by far for wheels.  Might get to try them out in the next few days.   Had a high today of about -3, and I had lots of snow to plow.  Snow blew into the hangar, almost like it's asking the plane to come out and play.  Going to warm up tomorrow to a high of 15 maybe, so we shall see.  Had these skis on the Avid, so had to change the limiter cables, but they're ready now!   JImChuk

 

[TJay 1041]

Nice and it looks like you made something to streamline your wing struts. Notice any difference?

Edited 25 Dec 2020 by TJay

[1avidflyer 1983]

Yes, quite a bit of difference.  I gained 10 mph in cruise at least.  I had a cedar 2x6 that I cut up to make the streamlining with.  Glued them in place, and then wrapped them with fabric.  JImChuk

[FireFoxIV 58]

That looks like so much fun!!!   Hope ya got a good heater. 

[1avidflyer 1983]

That looks like so much fun!!!   Hope ya got a good heater. 

I put in the heater core that came with the plane when I got it.   It's aluminum, and the fins are real close together.  I keep uping the size of the fans to force air through it.  The way it is now is ok at 30, but I got another higher power fan that will push over twice as much air as the current two smaller fans do.  If that don't do it, I'll go to a different heater core.  In the winter, I like to fly with enough clothes that if I have to walk, I'm dressed for it.  You can always shut the fan off if you get to warm, but if it's giving you all it's got, and you're still cold, it's not fun after a while.  JImChuk

[SuberAvid 617]

Looks liker a lot of fun, good to see you guys are getting some good winter flying in.  Keep the pics coming!

[STOLpacer20 6]

Man, that is a sharp looking KF you have there!

[1avidflyer 1983]

Well some other things came up today, but I did manage to take the Kitfox around the pattern a couple of times with the skis.  Second landing was one of those (rare for me) where you ask yourself, Am I still in the air or am I on the ground?  Nice.... JImChuk

PS  somehow, I typed this out a few hours ago, and never posted it....

[Yamma-Fox 403]

I have heard of people having landings like that...  but in my 13,000 hours have not yet experienced it...  and still believe it to be a myth.

[akflyer 1427]

Got in a little flight time last hitch home to deliver an engine mount.  The kid "flew" us for about 20 min and had a blast.  Not enough snow yet to put the ski's on.  Gotta love winter flying.  2 hrs to preheat and preflight for a 2 hr flight

 

[1avidflyer 1983]

I have heard of people having landings like that...  but in my 13,000 hours have not yet experienced it...  and still believe it to be a myth.

I've had a couple on skis, n once in the Aeronca Chief on pavement no less, but especially for me, they are a rare event.   Now if you want to talk about the 'copy the kangaroo' kind, let me tell you about the number of those....