Good Advice

[Wildhorsesracing]

In General Aviation News:

http://generalaviationnews.com/2016/02/16/tip-fly-it-or-sell-it/

“The best method of keeping your airplane and engine in top shape…fly it! At least weekly, raise the oil temperature to 185° or max that you can. Your engines will love you for it. If you don’t fly it, then sell it.”

[rbridges]

weekly would be nice, but I think that's a little strict.  Isn't once every 3 weeks or so enough to inhibit corrosion?

[Bob - S50]

Our LLC (partnership) agreement says the plane has to fly at least once every 2 weeks.  If it has been sitting that long, we see who has gone the longest without flying and make them fly it.  If they won't/can't then they can get one of the others to do it for them.  They'll be charged $50 and the pilot who does the flying will get a $50 credit on their next bill.

Hasn't been an issue yet in 3 years.  With 4 of us, the plane has never gone over 2 weeks without flying.

Edited February 17, 2016 by Bob - S50
typo

[Oscar Avalle]

Bob good idea

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[steingar]

Whoever wrote that lives in the south.

[Bob - S50]

7 minutes ago, steingar said:

Whoever wrote that lives in the south.

Nope, just a typo and insufficient proofreading.  I'll fix it.. stand by...

[rbridges]

1 hour ago, steingar said:

Whoever wrote that lives in the south.

wrong.  everyone in the South is illiterate.  

 

[Jerry 5TJ]

I feel the real corrosion issue with long periods of inactivity is to the pilot's skills. 

[rbridges]

36 minutes ago, bluehighwayflyer said:

We would prefer that you capitalize the word "South" when you make reference to God's country.

Jim

 

I actually intended to do that but forgot to change it.  It's fixed now.  lol

[steingar]

Unfortunately, stick time often degrades rapidly in the harsh winters of the north (equal opportunity non capitalization).  All that said, my Cherokee survived the regimen for ten years.  I worry more about me than the Lycoming in the Mooney.

I fly every opportunity I get.  Gotta have the wx to fly through, though.  Not all that easy to get this time of year.

[Hank]

I made many winter flights along the Ohio River. Long as the runway was plowed. Hated shoveling my driveway, hated shoveling around the hangar even more. If no icy clouds, I'd fly anyway--it's only cold during preflight. 

[Wildhorsesracing]

I'll agree that the weekly flying is more to keep the corrosion off of the pilot's skills than the engine.  I took my own advice yesterday and flew to an airport I had never been to before.  Here in NC there is a fun "book" you can sign up for to get stamps in from every airport in the state.  It's a great program to get folks flying, especially to some truly unique airports that I would've never visited if it wasn't for the book.

Operation FlyNC

FYI - I am an ex-"Yankee" - used to live in Potsdam, NY - one of the snowiest, coldest places in the USA.  My wife would cross-country ski to work in the winter because it was less effort than shovelling the driveway, unplugging and warming up her car, etc., so I fully understand winters, but glad we moved here 30 yrs ago

[chrisk]

Winters in Texas can be quite pleasant, and often more comfortable than the summer.  We get a few cold days, but most are like today, Sunny, a low of 59, and a high of 77.  My plane gets regular exercise.  The one exception is if I get a cold.