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What a great feeling it warmed to 50+ degrees here in MN today so I checked the runway it was dry so I aired up the low tire on the Kitfox plugged in the preheaters and after an hour rolled the Kitfox out did the preflight drained the fuel sumps a hit the starter button and the HKS came to life instantly. Warmed it up and took off and flew around for an hour what a great feeling after a long 4 months of winter with no flying. Nothing like flying a Kitfox.
I also was flying in Mn yesterday. It's been two weeks since I last flew, that time was on skis and now back on wheels. My runway melted and has dried off in those two weeks. I just added up my time flying on skis this winter, and I had 42.3 since Dec. 29. I'm in the northern part of the state, and there are lakes all over the place to land on. I like the winter time flying the best. I have a decent heater in the plane, and fly till it gets down to 0 or -5 F. I think you miss a lot if you put the plane away for the winter. Take care, Jim Chuk Avid Flyer MK IV Jabiru
I don't know how you guys do it, no flying that is. I have severe withdraws after not flying for one day. I sort of missed the snow this year. The one time we got snow, 4inches, I took out in the RV to get some snow time, I have done it many times with the kitfox. It was a nice day, 4 inches on the runways with the left untouched and the right with a few tracks on it. I called for a departure on the left, but the controller thought I was nuts, so I gave in and took the right. I did come back and told the controller that I'll take off on the right, but switch over to the left, I was going to do some pattern work. I took off and come around and switched to the left for a stop and go, now I also had another problem, canadian geese right up to the approach of the runway, about 200 of them. I continued down to the runway, I held a little high for the geese. As I got to about 200ft from the number the geese took off than I pulled all the power and settled on the runway, stopped and took off, runway 2,644 ft long. Lots of fun, come around again and did the same thing, yup the geese were back in there normal spot. The main thing with snow is you need to baby the brakes. I love snow on the runway, lots of fun. Ice is ok also, slippery stuff, but fun. The tower likes it when I come out to play in the snow, they get a good runway report. Many times I'll land go about 15mph and hit the brakes, sometimes go a little sideways, other just straight forward, than I'll call the tower and say, seems ok to me.
sounds like fun~!! drifting with an airplane
those dang geese never have their clearance lights on either so sometimes it get's interesting I've dodged them more then once on low flights over the rivers.
Hi Jim the main reason I didn't fly this winter was my runway has no real driveway to it I just drive across my lawn so plowing to get to the hangars is about impossible plus shoveling out the hangar doors are too much for a retired guywith a bad shoulder. Every fall I say I'm going to put the skis on and fly but it doesn't get done any more plus I had a big tractor restoration project this winter, got that done.
I love flying over the rivers and flying with the geese, ya they don't scare me. Beautiful site chasing them off their butts on the river and flying with them. do it all the time.
just a thought ,..a 20 gallon water heater and about 200' of 1 inch black plastic pipe burried about 6 inches down covered with 1 inch rock and out about 10 foot in front of the doors filled with Antifreeze,..turn it on when it snows,..turn it off when the snow is gone ,....if you do this..put a french drain on the low side filled with 2 inch rock about 20 foot long ..no mud this way from melting snow.