podair Posted May 26, 2011 Report Share Posted May 26, 2011 posted in the Vintage mooney forum but I guess it applies to all Hi To reduce costs, I am moving out my M20F of the pretty individual hangar I have been renting, at least for the next couple of years. Instead, it will be parked outside in the spring and summer, and 'mothballed' in a hangar at a remote airfield for the winter, and not flown at all for up to 5 months at a time. I am looking at various alternatives. I normally use Aeroshell 15w50 1) 'pickle' the engine using the Tanis pickle kit or similar , sold by Aircraft Spruce 2) change the oil to Aeroshell 2F , which allows some flying if I really need to (but not planning any). I happen to have a drum of it my hangar, purchased for my previous aircraft. 3) use CamGard and combine that with an electric 'engine saver' , basically a dehumidifier that pumps dry air into the engine via the oil breather. Aviation Consumer had a fairly good review of these. 4) 1 or 2, plus electric engine saver 5) do all the above , and 'fog' the aircraft with ACF 50 or Corrosion X , which I intend to do anyway at some point In the cockpit , I will use dehumidifiers with dessicant bags for the cabin and avionics. The hangar is unheated, but temps in that area are fairly mild, and humidity is average (150 miles inland in the countryside). The aircraft will be covered and left unattended for several weeks at a time. Any suggestions or experiences with any of the products above. Any particular areas to watch and care for with older Mooneys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stetson20 Posted March 26, 2017 Report Share Posted March 26, 2017 Does anyone do something like this in winter here in the US or Canada? Looking ahead to winter 2017/18. Or do y'all try to fly whenever the weather permits? Clear, cold day flights? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carusoam Posted March 26, 2017 Report Share Posted March 26, 2017 (edited) 1) Good flying days come in winter months... 2) Holidays occur in winter months... 3) Great performance comes with the dense air of winter months... 4) Pre-heaters were designed for winter months... 5) Winterization kits for oil coolers come out for the winter months... 6) The airplane doesn't have a need to be put away in the winter months... 7) Hangars make flying in the winter months easier than being tied down outside... 8) It is a good idea to see how open your airport will be after a snowstorm. 9) know that it can get pretty cold at 12,500' flying around in an NA powered plane... Is this what you had in mind? Best regards, -a- Edited March 26, 2017 by carusoam 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hank Posted March 26, 2017 Report Share Posted March 26, 2017 19 minutes ago, Stetson20 said: Does anyone do something like this in winter here in the US or Canada? Looking ahead to winter 2017/18. Or do y'all try to fly whenever the weather permits? Clear, cold day flights? I lived in the Ohio River Valley on the WV / OH border for 9 years, owned my Mooney there for 7 years. My flight training spanned the winter, and so did all of my Mooney flying. Took my wife to Arnold Palmer for Valentines dinner; we were clear, MD had light snow, and Palmer Field had been plowed and piled ~10' tall. Great flying conditions in the winter! But preheating the engine is very necessary, I considered an hour to be the minimum with my oil pan heater. Got a cell switch and life was even betfer--call or text the plane, turn the heater on, go flying later; weather moves in, flight is canceled, call and turn the heater off, much much better than driving to the airport in the snow own each time. Solo takeoffs with half tanks and 8°F temperatures are eye opening experiences! The climb rate was awe inspiring, the feeling heavenly . . . There's no need to park for the winter. Fly whenever it isn't snowing or icy. I did much of my Instrument training in the evening after work in the winter, including my long cross country all over Ohio. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stetson20 Posted March 26, 2017 Report Share Posted March 26, 2017 3 hours ago, Hank said: I lived in the Ohio River Valley on the WV / OH border for 9 years, owned my Mooney there for 7 years. My flight training spanned the winter, and so did all of my Mooney flying. Took my wife to Arnold Palmer for Valentines dinner; we were clear, MD had light snow, and Palmer Field had been plowed and piled ~10' tall. Great flying conditions in the winter! But preheating the engine is very necessary, I considered an hour to be the minimum with my oil pan heater. Got a cell switch and life was even betfer--call or text the plane, turn the heater on, go flying later; weather moves in, flight is canceled, call and turn the heater off, much much better than driving to the airport in the snow own each time. Solo takeoffs with half tanks and 8°F temperatures are eye opening experiences! The climb rate was awe inspiring, the feeling heavenly . . . There's no need to park for the winter. Fly whenever it isn't snowing or icy. I did much of my Instrument training in the evening after work in the winter, including my long cross country all over Ohio. Tell me more about this cell switch, please. And when you flew instrument training, you weren't IMC, were you? Unfortunately, west Michigan is pretty overcast throughout the winter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hank Posted March 26, 2017 Report Share Posted March 26, 2017 I did have some actual IMC during training, Sept-Dec. Had an unrelated total electrical failure on a VOR approach just after breaking out once, too. Bought the cell switch from the Vendor Sales section here, PhillipNY, who also does air to air photography. Loved it! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetdriven Posted March 26, 2017 Report Share Posted March 26, 2017 No water no rust...The only engine dehydrator I know that can go for a long period of time without reactivating the beads is the blackmax dehydrator. It's all electronic and is open loop, it feeds dry air to the engine. If you use that thing plus the dessicant plugs for the spark plugs and tape off the exhaust, the air filter, and the breather and the sniffle valve. it can go a long while sitting, while staying dry inside. Regarding the 2F oil, I asked Ed Kollin, the cam guard inventor, and I forgot why, but he said it it wasn't so great. Use engine oil and overdose it with camguard for storage. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stetson20 Posted March 26, 2017 Report Share Posted March 26, 2017 2 hours ago, Hank said: I did have some actual IMC during training, Sept-Dec. Had an unrelated total electrical failure on a VOR approach just after breaking out once, too. Bought the cell switch from the Vendor Sales section here, PhillipNY, who also does air to air photography. Loved it! And no issues with icing while IMC in winter? I found a website for a phone activated power pack. Pretty cool! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stetson20 Posted March 26, 2017 Report Share Posted March 26, 2017 13 hours ago, carusoam said: 1) Good flying days come in winter months... 2) Holidays occur in winter months... 3) Great performance comes with the dense air of winter months... 4) Pre-heaters were designed for winter months... 5) Winterization kits for oil coolers come out for the winter months... 6) The airplane doesn't have a need to be put away in the winter months... 7) Hangars make flying in the winter months easier than being tied down outside... 8) It is a good idea to see how open your airport will be after a snowstorm. 9) know that it can get pretty cold at 12,500' flying around in an NA powered plane... Is this what you had in mind? Best regards, -a- Winterization kits for oil coolers? I'll have to look those up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carusoam Posted March 26, 2017 Report Share Posted March 26, 2017 Winterization... There is a device that blocks airflow to about half the oil cooler. Sometimes it is as simple as aluminum tape. Some oil radiators have a kit that includes a special plate with fasteners.... it takes some knowledge to use it properly. Too cold, oil has difficulty flowing. Too hot, oil has difficulty lubricating and may degrade. PP knowledge only, not a mechanic. Best regard, -a- 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
75_M20F Posted March 28, 2017 Report Share Posted March 28, 2017 On Thursday, May 26, 2011 at 7:20 AM, podair said: posted in the Vintage mooney forum but I guess it applies to all Hi To reduce costs, I am moving out my M20F of the pretty individual hangar I have been renting, at least for the next couple of years. Instead, it will be parked outside in the spring and summer, and 'mothballed' in a hangar at a remote airfield for the winter, and not flown at all for up to 5 months at a time. I am looking at various alternatives. I normally use Aeroshell 15w50 1) 'pickle' the engine using the Tanis pickle kit or similar , sold by Aircraft Spruce 2) change the oil to Aeroshell 2F , which allows some flying if I really need to (but not planning any). I happen to have a drum of it my hangar, purchased for my previous aircraft. 3) use CamGard and combine that with an electric 'engine saver' , basically a dehumidifier that pumps dry air into the engine via the oil breather. Aviation Consumer had a fairly good review of these. 4) 1 or 2, plus electric engine saver 5) do all the above , and 'fog' the aircraft with ACF 50 or Corrosion X , which I intend to do anyway at some point In the cockpit , I will use dehumidifiers with dessicant bags for the cabin and avionics. The hangar is unheated, but temps in that area are fairly mild, and humidity is average (150 miles inland in the countryside). The aircraft will be covered and left unattended for several weeks at a time. Any suggestions or experiences with any of the products above. Any particular areas to watch and care for with older Mooneys. If your plane is outside your airframe will be subject to corrosion as well.... Corrosion is death to little airplanes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carusoam Posted March 28, 2017 Report Share Posted March 28, 2017 (edited) Podair is in Portugal, and he posted that thread about six years ago... He is still around here... Best regards, -a- Edited March 28, 2017 by carusoam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
75_M20F Posted March 28, 2017 Report Share Posted March 28, 2017 (edited) Well, I have been flying 6 days in a row now (for work). That's my excuse anyway. Ha ha Edited March 28, 2017 by Mooney_Mike 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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