Life lessons...

[Dick Smith]

"Grandpa, when are you takin' this thing off floats?"

"Don't worry Grandson, I've got plenty of time before it snows..." (I got off floats last week).

"At least the days are getting longer..."

"Grandpa...let's go flying".

[Ray]

Re: Life lessons...

Yikes, dont they have hangars up there.

[Dick Smith]

Re: Life lessons...

I just "hangar" it from my skyhook! (for new Airframes Alaska sealed struts)or(float swap to wheels or skis) Sometimes you just "hangar" on to the end of a scoop shovel and then go flying. The plane sneaks into a hangar for annuals.

[n6346m]

Re: Life lessons...

Yikes, dont they have hangers up there.

Of course we have hangers up here. I've got a closet full of them.

[Ray]

Re: Life lessons...

Why does everyone have to be a spell critic?

[NY86]

Re: Life lessons...

Why does everyone have to be a spell critic?

Not a critic. He posted a picture of the airplane hanger. It's a hangar he doesn't have...

[guns68]

Re: Life lessons...

Yikes, dont they have hangars up there.

Not many (at least here in Kodiak), and none to rent

[Ray]

Re: Life lessons...

How does all that snow effect the plane, ie. covering, engine etc.

[guns68]

Re: Life lessons...

Ray, to state the obvious you do not fly with snow or ice on the plane. I go and brush off the plane after every snowstorm. I don't know, nor do I want to find out how much snow is too much to handle. I also pay attention to the freedom of movement of the control surfaces. I have found mine frozen a time or two (thankfully on a preflight). If I was not leaving this year I would spend the money on wing and tail covers. With the engine I know a lot of guys on the mainland use preheaters, both electric block type heaters and red devil type external heat type. I don't have electricity near my tie down and I am nervous about the red devil type (I have heard too many horror stories of burnt up planes). So I do not do much flying when it gets way below freezing (generally not that big of an issue here in Kodiak, although it's 3 deg F right now)

[wlas]

Re: Life lessons...

Most people in Alaska don't put their planes in hangars, mine lives outside and I have a hangar, I put it in the night before I fly to warm it up. The heat of the day today was -10 and that's when I took this picture.

[Dick Smith]

Re: Life lessons...

Ray, as wlas (Larry) says, most of the planes up here experience the "elements".
I would love to have a hangar...often sketch up my ideas using ship's containers coupled with home-made wooden trusses. For now, the plane is tied down on the ice in front of the house. I have a good set of wing, horizontal tail and windshield covers. Coupled with a really good engine cover and a heater/fan/thermostat setup, the engine compartment is held at about 65 Deg. F. (Above the dewpoint and dry as a bone).
The main thing I worry about is damage caused by snow removal. I prefer to do it myself, even if help is available. You may cause a few minor dings before you learn just how to do it. It takes a gentle touch and you can't get in a big hurry. I have a couple of snow rakes that I rigged up that work well, plus I found a Walmart snow rake that is made of some type of soft, red foam rubber...has a collapsible handle. I like it.
One other thing about the way I do it here is that the fire hazard is my own worry.
I'm not in someone's hangar or next to someone else's airplane. I try to be very careful in placing the heater properly inside the cowling. The thermostat is a commercial- grade unit used for oilfired space heaters. The electrical cord is buried beneath the snow, to avoid snowmachine traffic.
Also, I don't have a mouse problem!! Do have a few moose, but so far they have left me alone.
Probably the best part of the situation is that I have visual connection with the plane. I can shine a spot light on it when the hard winds are blowing during the night. And it just feels good when I stand at the window in the morning with the first cup of coffee and see the old gal...tied down, waiting...ready. She's owned me since 1975 or so.

[Dick Smith]

Re: Life lessons...

This is "Zero 7 Mike" not long after she "bought" me...The kid is my eldest son...We jokingly called him "Mudhole Smith", after one of the famous Alaskan pilots. The kid now flies for a living here in AK. Man, the time passes quickly...! You can see that this was before the days of beefed-up gear. Also evident are the remnants of tape residue used to control engine heat.

[wlas]

Re: Life lessons...

Dick..that's pretty cool , I put duct tape over nose bowl just so I can get some kind of oil temp, and take it off as the weather warms up. If I ever get down to north Kenai I'll have to stop in.

[Dick Smith]

Re: Life lessons...

Larry, feel free to drop in any time. The coffee's on. Lat. 60.666338 Lon. -151.234302 (Douglas Lake) Dick

[matsuthunder200]

Re: Life lessons...

Hey larry and dick
I just got a new set of wing covers about three weeks ago. The wife bought me a new cover that go's from the windshield to the tail for christmas. Its like having a hanger in a bag. I haft to get the plane in a hanger to thaw it out just so i can put all the covers on...... I will haft to post a picture of all the covers on when i get them all on lol......