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Can a Mooney takeoff from snow?

201er

By 201er
in General Mooney Talk

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Hank Grand Master

Hank

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Looks like you had more snow . . . Our Sunday Breakfast trip yesterday left our [mostly clear with spotty black ice] home field for a nearby restaurant with a snow-covered runway. It was interesting seeing the touchdown/rollouts of previous planes, including one with all three tracks starting simultaneously. It was almost an inch deep, judging by the ruts. Wish I could have seen my own tracks. . . .

 

Quick question:  why did you wait so  long to raise your gear? I flip the lever "when in good control and positive rate of climb established" almost always treetop level or below.

gregwatts Rising Star

gregwatts

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Posted
Looks like you had more snow . . . Our Sunday Breakfast trip yesterday left our [mostly clear with spotty black ice] home field for a nearby restaurant with a snow-covered runway. It was interesting seeing the touchdown/rollouts of previous planes, including one with all three tracks starting simultaneously. It was almost an inch deep, judging by the ruts. Wish I could have seen my own tracks. . . .

 

Quick question:  why did you wait so  long to raise your gear? I flip the lever "when in good control and positive rate of climb established" almost always treetop level or below.

 

I had that same question!

201er Grand Master

201er

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Quick question:  why did you wait so  long to raise your gear? I flip the lever "when in good control and positive rate of climb established" almost always treetop level or below.

Good question. It was specifically because of the snow. Normally my gear is up as I'm leaving ground effect (see other vids, bitch about how I raise it too soon lol) but this time I intentionally held off a long time to ensure that all snow/ice clears out of the wheels before I risk raising it all into my wheel bays. I also tapped the brakes a few times after takeoff (some of the wobbly moments) to quickly halt the wheels and to clear the brakes. Dunno if it was necessary or not but all was good when I arrived at my destination.

Marauder Grand Master

Marauder

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Now for an interesting challenge, try taking off on a runway covered with CamGuard! Seriously... When you came back Saturday to Linden was it plowed? I remember once taking off from my airport in New York on a plowed runway and returning late in the day. The snow had melted and covered the runway completely with water that froze. I was pretty impressed with aerodynamic braking and how much control I still had.

robert7467 Proficient

robert7467

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You know what would be cool? 201er can take orphaned parrots, and train them to do checklist by speaking. We can call it parrots for pilots..

jdrake Enthusiast

jdrake

Posted
Posted

They can also land and depart from ice runways...

 

This footage was taken on a lunch trip back in 2010.  Unfortunately, the ice at Alton Bay wasn't strong enough for the runway in 2011 or 2012 but NOTAMs say the ice runway is back in service as of last week.

 

 

Seth Grand Master

Seth

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Mike- 

 

Still can't believe they didn't plow the runway.  Great video.  I too was wondering why you didn't raise the gear for a while but figured it was to make sure there was no snow/ice to freeze and potentially cause an issue with the gear retraction/extnesion system.

 

Was the runway plowed upon your return or "melted"

 

Did the guys at GAI remember that you were parked there upon departure and did they charge you for preheat or just give you the preheat as part of your overnight fee? 

 

-Seth

201er Grand Master

201er

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They wanted $25 for preheat on top of $10 parking fee so I said to hell with it and started up cold just fine. I just try to make up for it by preheating more often on my own. All snow was melted when I got back (on grass too, so I know they didn't plow). Thanks Seth.

RJBrown Mentor

RJBrown

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Rolling through slush withou letting it drop could freeze your gear up. Good call! West Virginia is not that far south Hank you must have seen snow.

 I fly Radio control planes also. To get your "All season Flier" patch you must fly at least once each month. One bright and sunny January day we went out to fly. The inch of snow from the night before was reduced to slush in the bright sunshine. BUT the air temperature was in the teens. A little up elevator to rotate and she took off just fine.  I could not level off. Tail heavy and the ice has frozen in the hinge line not allowing any down or neutral elevator. Lucky to get it down in one piece. Ice is a b!tc&.

201er Grand Master

201er

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Looked like it was a lot of fun. However, the first thing I noticed was that you were not wearing a headset. You must have a quit plane.

No, just a magically light invisible headset! Thank you Phil :D

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