Pre-flight in nasty rain procedures

[Danb]

When I do my preflight away from home with plane outside, I do a more comprehensive review. Not that I don’t do an adequate one when he’s asleep in my hanger. Anyway moderate rain and large puddles under my wing, I generally use a large towel to keep my pants clean, folded in fours the towel became saturated after checking one wing, my pants were also saturated ,how do you guys and girls handle this type of situation? I was thinking putting a trash bag under the towel, there must be a better way. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

DB

 

 

[Hank]

Put the folded towel inside the bag? No experience, just suggesting. 

[N201MKTurbo]

I can still squat down and sump the tank with one arm while steadying myself with the other on the wing. I can do this without putting a knee on the ground. At 64 it is getting harder, but still possible. But I do have long arms.

[Bob - S50]

Wait until it stops pouring rain?

Move the plane away from the puddles before sumping?

Tell the First Officer it's their turn to do the exterior pre-flight?

[GeeBee]

It is their turn? It's ALWAYS their turn unless I say so!

 

 

[David Lloyd]

I've got to get on one knee, shoulders keep me from reaching under to sample fuel simply squating down.  I keep a foam garden kneeling pad in the plane and use it depending on what pants I'm wearing. It is handy, rain or not, sumps and tie downs.  When it is pouring rain, I always evaluated how much water I was going to dump into the tank versus what was likely in the tank.  Yeah, I know, I know.  My caps don't leak.  Was it fueled while raining?  Don't get in too much of a hurry, look at all the important stuff.  Be sure to get the chocks, all 3 tie downs, the pitot cover, and get both doors shut.  Now you're good and wet.  Use that dry towel to dry your face, hair and arms.  Keep it handy to wipe the condensation from the inside of your windows since you brought all that moisture inside.  Some days it rains and you got to go anyway.

[Yetti]

I keep a cheap shower curtin from walley world in the plane.   Never had to use it yet.

[Danb]

6 hours ago, N201MKTurbo said:

I can still squat down and sump the tank with one arm while steadying myself with the other on the wing. I can do this without putting a knee on the ground. At 64 it is getting harder, but still possible. But I do have long arms.

I left 64 a decade ago with a bad back..Hank has a good idea

[Danb]

3 hours ago, David Lloyd said:

I've got to get on one knee, shoulders keep me from reaching under to sample fuel simply squating down.  I keep a foam garden kneeling pad in the plane and use it depending on what pants I'm wearing. It is handy, rain or not, sumps and tie downs.  When it is pouring rain, I always evaluated how much water I was going to dump into the tank versus what was likely in the tank.  Yeah, I know, I know.  My caps don't leak.  Was it fueled while raining?  Don't get in too much of a hurry, look at all the important stuff.  Be sure to get the chocks, all 3 tie downs, the pitot cover, and get both doors shut.  Now you're good and wet.  Use that dry towel to dry your face, hair and arms.  Keep it handy to wipe the condensation from the inside of your windows since you brought all that moisture inside.  Some days it rains and you got to go anyway.

Wasn’t any water in tanks.

[Hank]

3 hours ago, Danb said:

Wasn’t any water in tanks.

You know because you checked!

[jaylw314]

Living in the Pacific Northwest, I'd just vote for rain pants.  No extra gear or stuff to deal with, and if you get the tearaway kind, you can do the whole "Magic Mike" thing before you get in the plane 

Ironically, the wettest I've gotten in the Mooney was in Santa Monica.  I landed in a torrential downpour, and in the 10 minutes it took to unload and tie down the airplane with no rain clothes (who thinks of that on a trip to SoCal?), my wife said I ended up looking like a drowned rat.

[Marauder]

When I do my preflight away from home with plane outside, I do a more comprehensive review. Not that I don’t do an adequate one when he’s asleep in my hanger. Anyway moderate rain and large puddles under my wing, I generally use a large towel to keep my pants clean, folded in fours the towel became saturated after checking one wing, my pants were also saturated ,how do you guys and girls handle this type of situation? I was thinking putting a trash bag under the towel, there must be a better way. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.
DB
 
 

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Cheap Bast%$d version:

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[Marauder]

And use the towel to wipe the pad down afterwards.


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[M20F]

For regular rain I agree the plastic bags work well.  For freezing rain though I find a good wool blanket works the best.  

[A64Pilot]

Freezing rain? You fly in that? Not since Bosnia for me.