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===================================== January 2003 ========================================

By Don Hart

Winter flying often involves doing your best to keep warm while enjoying a couple of R/C flights between snow showers. Not this winter! There were several days between Christmas and New Year’s Day when the temperature was above 40 degrees, the sun was shining and there was little or no wind.

I’ve always enjoyed flying from snow, but haven’t had an opportunity to try it yet this year. Hopefully, we’ll have snow at the upcoming Super Bowl Snow Fly on Saturday, January 25.

When the snow comes, there's only a little bit of extra preparation before joining the fun, but there's really nothing that's difficult or expensive to do.

Any plane can be flown from snow. Most of us have a 40 size trainer. This is a great type of plane for snow flying. A low wing sport aerobatic planes like the GP "Super Sportster", SIG "Four Star" or Ace "Bingo" will work great too.

One option is to fly a float plane. Floats work fine on snow, though steering on the ground may be a problem. Another option is to build skis. Yet another option is to fly a plane that has no landing gear, like a "Gremlin" flying wing or a powered glider.

If you don't have skis for your plane, they are very easy to build. Skis are also available commercially and are advertised in model magazines.

One of the problems commonly associated with cold weather flying is getting your engine to start. Starting is easier with 15% fuel and your engine will idle better. Make sure your glow plug is clean and in good condition. You might consider using a plug with a hotter heat range than normal. Make sure your glow lighter battery is fully charged. If all else fails, use a drop or two of lighter fluid in the carb. WD-40 or diesel starting fluid can be used too. Don't use too much unless you like your fingers getting whacked by a backfiring engine!

All batteries including your receiver pack, transmitter pack, starter battery and glow lighter are affected by cold. The electrical energy from batteries results from a chemical reaction. Chemical reactions are sensitive to temperature - lower temperature, less juice. Make sure all your batteries are fully charged. Keep them warm if you can. Do a range check before your first flight of the day and check your radio batteries before each flight. A field charger comes in handy if your batteries get a bit tired.

Make sure you are dressed for the conditions. I wear insulated coveralls and am usually warm enough. Cold wet feet and hands can turn an otherwise pleasant experience into misery. Waterproof footwear and an extra set of gloves are necessities.

To help keep your hands warm, you can get chemical hand warmers at sporting goods stores. These can last several hours.

A good pair of sunglasses or ski goggles will help protect your eyes and make flying in bright sunny conditions much more enjoyable. Ski goggles will also prevent tears blurring your vision when there is a breeze, especially if you like winter slope soaring.

Don't forget the Super Bowl Snow Fly on Saturday of Super Bowl weekend at Jeff & Tawny Nelson's flying field near Troy, Idaho. See you there!