Winter Weather
- Tom Tousignant
- Dec 22, 2022
- 2 min read
Updated: Apr 17, 2024
With the winter weather solidly in place, it's a gret time to re-do the Cirrus Approach Icing Awareness course. The POH requires you complete it within the last 24 months, but I suggest completing it every year.
You can Re-enroll on a completed course so you don't have to pay twice for it and plan for about a concetrated hour of learning (with quizzes) to complete.
Once you get out to your airplane, here are a few things to consider in winter weather:
Cold Soaked Engine! Airplanes sitting in an unheated hangar or on the ramp overnight can get very cold. While the lack of heated seats may seem like an issue, a cold soaked engine is much more of a concern. After starting a cold engine, the steel and alluminum parts warm up and expand at different rates. Friction from still-cold steel pistons and warm aluminum cylinders have been know to cause as much were as 500 hours of flying and even catastrophic failures on takeoff! Have a plan to use that Tanis Pre-Heater.
For trips to cold weather locations, bring a heavy-duty, 100' extension cord. On a trip to Virgina, I did this as the airport didn't have any hangar space. The next morning, I was able to tug the SR22 up near the FBO, plug in the preheat, and enjoy a warm coffee while my airplane engine warmed up. I like to see my engine oil warm up to 70+ degrees before unplugging the preheat.
Pay for a heated hangar if you can get it! On 2020 and newer SR's with the Cirrus EQ App, you can check your oil temperature from the hotel room while your plane is cozy warm in a hangar.
Fill a spray bottle with TKS fluid and carry it in your cargo bin. If you find frost on your wings in the morning, simply spray on the TKS and watch the frost melt. Don't scrape or rub frost off the winds and surfaces! In a pinch, turn on the TKS system and soak a rag with TKS fluid from the wings to gently wipe down the frost.
Start watching weather forecasts a few days ahead of your flight. You may need to go plug in your plane the night before, reschedule your flight or reroute around ice. Be sure to call the destiantion FBO in advance to try and reserve a heated hangar spot.
Links for Cold Weather items mentioned in this post:
Spray Bottle for TKS Fluid:
Amazon: https://a.co/d/hfuzjc4
100' Extension Cord:
Amazon: https://a.co/d/2m3OFml
TKS Fluid (I like the 2.5g jugs from Avlab):
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