Parking outside near the ocean

[Bartman]

So we try to do as many beach trips as possible every year, and having a 7on-7off work schedule helps.  Two weeks ago we returned from KDTS and washed the Mooney before we put her in the hangar.  Today we returned from KSUT after 5 days and nights and washed the plane again.  Just before I started washing I was wondering just how much salt is present, so I wiped my finger on the wing and touched to my tongue and it obviously tasted like salt.  I know some of you are saying Eeeewwww.  Last week we washed, but due to time constraints this time I just rinsed well with water.  I decided for my 50th I was going to have a birth month, not just a birthday so we took off the whole month and headed back to the gulf again this week.  I will be getting some of the Corrosion-X and spray as soon as possible.

Just wondering if you guys wash, or at least rinse immediately after a flight near the coast ?

[takair]

No, but now I feel guilty.

[kris_adams]

I haven't yet but I'm getting a new hangar right by a water spigot so maybe I'll start.  To be honest I hadn't really thought about it.

[Bob_Belville]

I seem to fly though through clouds/rain every time I go somewhere. Does that count?

[Piloto]

52 minutes ago, Bob_Belville said:

I seem to fly though through clouds/rain every time I go somewhere. Does that count?

Yes. I do the same to wash the plane. It is like a free car wash with pressure cleaning.

José

[RLCarter]

I live 18nm from the Gulf of Mexico and keep the plane 35nm from the Gulf so we Wash, Wax and Corrosion-X, and repeat often. Lunch on Mustang Island (KRAS) ends with a rinse and a "fly dry"

[jrwilson]

I always wash after a coast flight, even if just a day trip...it's like an OCD thing for me.

[ArtVandelay]

My understanding is that the salt attracts water so generates a large droplet and falls out of the air pretty quickly, so you don't have worry if more than a mile from the shore, here in Florida you don't see rusted out cars so there must be some truth to it

[fantom]

In three decades of having planes both hangered and outside, never an issue. Look for rain clouds for a quick rinse. Same for the Posche in my garage.

[kpaul]

Just now, fantom said:

In three decades of having planes both hangered and outside, never an issue. Look for rain clouds for a quick rinse. Same for the Posche in my garage.

You rely on rain clouds to wash your Porsche?  You must live in the "Sunshine" state.

[jrwilson]

4 hours ago, teejayevans said:

My understanding is that the salt attracts water so generates a large droplet and falls out of the air pretty quickly, so you don't have worry if more than a mile from the shore, here in Florida you don't see rusted out cars so there must be some truth to it

Ok, so a science-y question related to that...Lets say no clouds, clear sky.  How high would salty air be lifted up, like to Catalina airport (about 1600') and how far inland would it go?  Is there some kind of formula, taking into account temperature, humidity, wind, etc?

[TWinter]

I usually wash it keeping the salt air in mind. I remember when we were going to Bike Week and Biketoberfest pretty regular years ago and the bikes always seem to have that salty air feel in the mornings. Probably more my imagination, but I do understand where you are coming from. You get this way when you are land locked .

On the other hand when I lived in New Hampshire near the beach I never noticed or thought twice about the salt air and I was a fanatic about keeping my stuff clean.

 

-Tom

[Pritch]

6 hours ago, Hyett6420 said:

Ill answer that like this.  I live in the London in the Uk, we reguarly get Sahara rain, that is to say the rain falls with lots of dust and mess from the Sahara desert which is 1000s of miles away from us.  Does that help answer your question?  

Here on the west Coast of NorCal about a week after there is a sandstorm in the Gobi dessert the dust settles pretty heavy here on the cars.

 

[NotarPilot]

15 hours ago, teejayevans said:

My understanding is that the salt attracts water so generates a large droplet and falls out of the air pretty quickly, so you don't have worry if more than a mile from the shore, here in Florida you don't see rusted out cars so there must be some truth to it

How about rusted out 40+ year old cars?

[ArtVandelay]

15 hours ago, teejayevans said: My understanding is that the salt attracts water so generates a large droplet and falls out of the air pretty quickly, so you don't have worry if more than a mile from the shore, here in Florida you don't see rusted out cars so there must be some truth to it

How about rusted out 40+ year old cars?

Nope, but the paint takes a beating unless you have a garage, I wouldn't have a nice vehicle without a place to put it, I hangar my plane.

[Dave Colangelo]

21 hours ago, kpaul said:

You rely on rain butts to wash your Porsche?  You must live in the "Sunshine" state.

Little known fact about Porsches (911's at least) starting in 78 they were fully hot dipped galvanized (76-77 was floor pan only) and don't suffer from the same rust issues as many other cars. This practice stopped after the 964 I think and was changed over to  the use of a galvanic paint making them still rust resistant but less so than the true hot dipped chassis. I digress.... 

 

On any note I live in Philly and most of the stuff I rent is stored outside and flown in and around costal air. A good wash down should do the trick (they was about once a week and dont really seem to have any issues, the planes are flown every day) but salt build up is not unheard of. If you are coming and going you should be ok. 

[RLCarter]

Salt = Corrosion, a lot depends on the salinity content of the body of water you are next to. Here in S. Texas we have the Laguna Madre (the bay) which has 2 inlets from the Gulf of Mexico making it one of the highest salinity bodies of water in the world. 

[helitim]

A friend bought a Cessna 152 that had been hangared for several years in Santa Maria, Ca which is several miles inland from the beach but, the prevailing winds blow toward the airport most of the time.  He is seeing distinct corrosion issues related to this.  Corrosion X has been applied a couple of times already and the problem slowly grows.  He is not a happy camper.  YMMV.