Page 23 - Twin and Turbine December 16

The Laundry List
Engine Oil – Check your aircraft manual for proper weight oil to be used in low temperature ranges. Warm it up before you start the motors. Use an oil cooler baffle if, and when, allowed.
Oil Breather – Assure that the breather system is free of ice. When crankcase water vapor cools, it condenses in the breather line and can freeze and clog. A number of engine failures have resulted from a frozen crankcase breather line. A clog can cause pressure to build up, sometimes blowing the oil filler cap off or rupturing a case seal, which causes the loss of the oil.
Hose Clamps, Hoses, Hydraulic Fittings and Seals- inspect all hose lines, flexible tubing, and seals for deterioration and security.
Cabin Heater – Each year, accident investigations reveal carbon monoxide as a probable cause in accidents that have occurred during cold weather. It’s critical that a thorough inspection of the heater system be made to eliminate the possibility of carbon monoxide entering the cockpit or cabin. A pressure decay test on combustion heaters is mandatory for most and a great idea for the rest.
Control Cables – Because of contraction and expansion caused by temperature changes, control cables should be properly adjusted to compensate for the temperature changes.
OilPressureControlledPropellers – Propeller control difficulties can be encountered due to congealed oil. Use caution when intentionally feathering propellers for training to assure that the propeller is unfeathered before the oil in the system becomes congealed.
Batteries – Wet cell batteries require special consideration during cold weather. Test, clean and charge the battery. A healthy battery should need charging only after several
weeks of disuse. If the battery is two or more years old, it will probably need to be replaced.
Wheel wells – During thawing conditions, mud and slush can be thrown into wheel wells during taxi and takeoff. If frozen during flight, this mud and slush can create landing gear problems. The practice of recycling the gear after takeoff should be used as an emergency procedure only. The safest method is to avoid these conditions with retractable gear aircraft or to leave the gear extended an additional 5-10 seconds on takeoff when feasible. Make sure your anti-skid system is armed for takeoff and landing.
Inspect deicing equipment – Check deicing boots for cracks, cuts and holes. Cycle the boot system once each week to prevent stiffening of the rubber, which can shorten boot life. Use only cleaning and performance-enhancing products approved by the manufacturer of your system.
Preheat – Use a heated hangar when available both at home and on the road. A couple of hours above 50° F should be good. If not, oil pan heaters, kerosene-fueled torpedo heaters and individual electric-type cylinder heaters are good. Don’t leave the aircraft unattended, and keep a fire extinguisher handy. Don’t place heat ducting so it will blow directly on parts of the aircraft such as upholstery, canvas engine covers, flexible fuel lines or oil and hydraulic lines.
Been There, Done That
An employer over-primed an engine and caught it on fire, and I’ve done the same myself. I’ve had a wheel brake freeze, windshield heat failure, CADC probe heat failure, fuel heat failure, wing heat failure and one blade of prop heat failed. I’ve seen deicing personnel accidentally skip half of my airplane and have had fluid holdover times expire. Minimum takeoff fuel has been reached waiting in long lines. Make
like a Boy Scout and be prepared. A wintertime addition of ten or twenty minute’s fuel above your summertime number is prudent. List an alternate (or two) if the weather is marginal or if the arrival airport has only one approach or one runway – snow plowing will close runways on a regular, and unpredictable, basis. Be ready for holding and a missed approach. Ask for braking action reports (use the Mμ chart from Owl Snot, T&T April, 2016) and calculate landing distance on every approach. Allow extra time to get yourself and the airplane ready. Ramps will be slippery – walk and taxi slowly. Airfield surface markings and signs are buried, covered or obscured, making incursions more likely. Aborting a takeoff on a slippery runway due to an incursion will exercise your judgment and adrenal glands.
This time of the year, dawn comes
later, and dusk earlier. Light may
be fundamental to life, but for us
so is currency and proficiency. Just
because it’s cold and dark, don’t
solstice, son – get out of the tilted
chair in your cubicle and go flying.
Both you and the airplane need to
stay aeronautically limber despite
our astronomical condition. A
it, you know, like winter. T&T •
condition that is a bit more work.
That 23.44° tilt will, after all, make
Kevin Dingman has been flying for over 40 years. He’s an ATP typed in the B737 and DC9 with 22,000 hours. A retired Air Force Major, he flew the F-16 then performed as a USAF Civil Air Patrol Liaison Offi- cer. He flies volunteer missions for the Christian organization Wings of Mercy, is employed by a major airline, and owns and operates a Beechcraft Duke. Contact Kevin at Dinger10d@gmail.com
DECEMBER 2016 TWIN & TURBINE • 21