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freezing temperatures below will become supercooled, remaining liquid until they contact a surface like your airplane, where they turn into clear ice. This freezing rain is instantaneous trouble and must be exited without delay; climbing into the warm air is traditionally the best escape, but it doesn’t always work. If trapped on the ground while freezing rain is falling, waiting it out in a heated hangar is about the only option.Airports That Aren’t Always ThereIn winter, you’ll have to deal with the reality of runway closures and perhaps entire airports shut down. The storm may have moved on, but the airport remains closed while snow removal is underway. General aviation is prized for its ability to use smaller fields, giving us more destination options. However, small-town airports don’t have the big snowplows and manpower of big-city aerodromes, and they may not recover from a big storm for several days. Snow removal is an even-lower priority where it seldom occurs. Those freak snowstorms that hit the upper southland now and then can wreak havoc with trip schedules; the only plows in the county are busy clearing freeways, leaving the airport for already- overworked contractors.Up in the snow country, of course, clearing the airport is a routine chore. But that doesn’t mean rampsand taxiways get as prompt attention as runways. Calling before you go is the best advice for winter operation. Find out if the FBOs are ready to receive traffic and what is their best estimate for the airport reopening. If you’re going to want a hangar or deicing services, get in line by making your needs known in advance.Runway conditions are pretty much a known quantity in summertime, other than for some ponding of standing water after a rainstorm. Summer’s wet pavement adds to the stopping-distance requirement, but not by as much as the slickness of wintertime conditions. Braking action reports are to be taken seriously; know the friction-meter readings that mean trouble, starting at about 40 and above. Yes, you can land on a snow- covered runway, but how much more room will you need to get stopped? How much snow depth can you tolerate? What if you hydroplane on locked-up brakes? What if your brakes freeze from snow accumulated during parking? These are all valid concerns for winter operations.The point is, runways can be quite variable in suitability during the winter. If you’re counting on dry pavement to meet your needs, be sure that is what’s waiting for you. Don’t forget that patches of frozen stuff may be lingering on part of the runway,14 • TWIN & TURBINEDECEMBER 2015ASE, Inc. Half Page 4/C Ad