Thanks to Trump and climate change it has been below freezing for the whole week here in Boston and sometimes below 0F. January 8, 2018 is supposed to be our next day with an above-freezing high temp (39) and February 3, 2018 our first day when it might get warm enough (46F) to melt some of the snow. Accuweather’s forecast of the next day when the low temp will also be above freezing? March 24, 2018!
Our flight school has blocked off aircraft on the coldest mornings. If the plane is on a Tanis or Reiff heater, why is this necessary? “We have found that we do more damage than we collect in revenue below 10F. It is not just the engine. Instruments, gyros, and anything else that has to move gets unhappy. Autopilot servos, trim servos, glass screens, electric fuel pump motors: all of it is unhappy.”
I flew my first solo in -30C (-22F). The old Piper Warrior felt like a rocket in the cold, dense air without the heavy instructor onboard.