Snowing inside the plane

SixPapaCharlie

SixPapaCharlie

May the force be with you
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I flew my friend's 210 to Sun n Fun last week.
First time in Class A, First time on O2, and first time we had a snowball fight in flight.

Ok, the last part is a stretch. However we were in IMC at 21k and it was -20C.
I am not sure if this is unique to Dan's plane or if this is a common thing but for about an hour there, we were getting snow coming out of the overhead vents.

Having spent the last 10 years living between 5000 and 10000, this was interesting. Most noticeably, the radio was very quiet.
I think we went spans of 30 minutes w/o hearing chatter.
Err. that was 2nd most noticeably, MOST noticeably, was how freaking cold it was. Cabin heat was struggling to keep us remotely comfortable.

Flight home was my first time at IMC at night which was far less of an event than I thought it would be.
We landed to wait out some crazy storms and it was night before we felt comfortable departing.

I was mildly concerned flying IMC at night but after doing it, its doesn't seem like a big deal.
If you are in IMC, it doesn't really matter what it looks like outside.
It helps that my "Co-pilot" is a very proficient CFII.
I wouldn't have launched into this on my own.



snow.gif



20230402_201840.jpg
 
Really cool!

SixPapaCharlie said:
Most noticeably, the radio was very quiet.
I think we went spans of 30 minutes w/o hearing chatter.
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Try flying west! My first time Chi->Den, it got so lonely west of Lincoln, NE that every 30 minutes or so I'd call center just to see if they were still around.
 
Laughing at putting an acronym on the dash...I think that defeats the point of the acronym.
 
What were your airspeeds? Oil temp was lowww, does that matter?
 
charheep said:
How did you like the 210? How was it to fly?
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It's easy to fly and it's very stable. I liked it but it reinforced the fact that I don't like high wings. I have so much lowing time that it's just uncomfortable to me and I'm afraid of heights so looking out the door and just seeing the ground there with no wing under me gives me an irrational set of heebiejeebies.
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
we were getting snow coming out of the overhead vents.
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That wasn't snow, it was a snake shedding its skin...

kaiser said:
it got so lonely west of Lincoln, NE that every 30 minutes or so I'd call center just to see if they were still around.
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Flying late night air ambulance in the southwest it was not uncommon during a long stretch of radio silence to hear someone ask, ''still there.??'' And followed by center saying, ''still here''.
 
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unpressurized above 12, like pulling 9 Gs, is overrated.

As to freezing your a off at FL210, the T-6II was the same way. Wimpy heat exchanger. The canopy actually frosted over in the rear cockpit regularly when sky hooking up high during cross countries. It's was pretty miserable, and that's a pressurized turbine mind you.
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
I have so much lowing time that it's just uncomfortable to me and I'm afraid of heights so looking out the door and just seeing the ground there with no wing under me gives me an irrational set of heebiejeebies.
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Meanwhile, I'm putting as many windows on as I can to get better views.
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
looking out the door and just seeing the ground there with no wing under me gives me an irrational set of heebiejeebies.
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It's better with the door removed. Only thing out there is the strut and the main wheel
If you lean out, you can even get a picture of the gear on the other side :)
SAM_1077.JPG
 
Seems to be a common thing with older Cessnas. I had it get so bad once that it rendered my Foreflight iPad screen inoperative from the water of the snow melting.

Side node...dude must own BP or something. He really likes throwing the fuel at that thing. No reason to be pumping 18 GPH in cruise. 27" and 2300 RPM & 18.3 GPH is...VERY rich...More rich than the rich guys even run. LOP that baby and save probably 4 GPH or so.
 
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jesse said:
Seems to be a common thing with older Cessnas. I had it get so bad once that it rendered my Foreflight iPad screen inoperative from the water of the snow melting.

Side node...dude must own BP or something. He really likes throwing the fuel at that thing. No reason to be pumping 18 GPH in cruise. 27" and 2300 RPM & 18.3 GPH is...VERY rich...More rich than the rich guys even run. LOP that baby and save probably 4 GPH or so.
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He had typically had me running 30.5 MP, 2350 RPM and 17.5 GPH. Not sure if it makes a difference that it is a 210T.
My O540 numbers would be significantly lower.
 
wanttaja said:
B****, please....
View attachment 116403
Ron Wanttaja
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Weather is too clear for me. I preferred to operate my flybaby over solid overcast layers and near thunderstorms. You can smell the ozone and feel the rain when you are open cockpit. It's amazing.

Mine had a venturi driven turn and bank and I made that thing earn its keep.
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
I flew my friend's 210 to Sun n Fun last week.
First time in Class A, First time on O2, and first time we had a snowball fight in flight.

Ok, the last part is a stretch. However we were in IMC at 21k and it was -20C.
I am not sure if this is unique to Dan's plane or if this is a common thing but for about an hour there, we were getting snow coming out of the overhead vents.

Having spent the last 10 years living between 5000 and 10000, this was interesting. Most noticeably, the radio was very quiet.
I think we went spans of 30 minutes w/o hearing chatter.
Err. that was 2nd most noticeably, MOST noticeably, was how freaking cold it was. Cabin heat was struggling to keep us remotely comfortable.

Flight home was my first time at IMC at night which was far less of an event than I thought it would be.
We landed to wait out some crazy storms and it was night before we felt comfortable departing.

I was mildly concerned flying IMC at night but after doing it, its doesn't seem like a big deal.
If you are in IMC, it doesn't really matter what it looks like outside.
It helps that my "Co-pilot" is a very proficient CFII.
I wouldn't have launched into this on my own.



snow.gif



View attachment 116389
Click to expand...
Who knew Lola doubles as a Zamboni
 
We oftentimes have -20 on the ground and much colder up in the air at sub 10k feet. When I turn on the heater on my Cherokee, it’s a sauna no matter what the oat is. Well, until you reduce power for landing, then you freeze your a** off. Radio silence is normal once you get west of the St Louis/ Chicago line especially at night. I’ve been with KC Center for hours with no one talking during a night flight and checked in every so often to make sure they’re still there.
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
I flew my friend's 210 to Sun n Fun last week.
First time in Class A, First time on O2, and first time we had a snowball fight in flight.

Ok, the last part is a stretch. However we were in IMC at 21k and it was -20C.
I am not sure if this is unique to Dan's plane or if this is a common thing but for about an hour there, we were getting snow coming out of the overhead vents.
View attachment 116389
Click to expand...

First, Glad you got the opportunity to fly the 210. Sweet ride.
Second, You have obviously never flown a J3 in the winter in the snow.
There is no way to keep the snow (completely) out of the airplane.
And there is NO cabin heat in the majority of Cubs.

That's why I traded the J3 for a PA-17. Working cabin heat.
 
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