Aero-Tips!

A good pilot is always learning -- how many times have you heard this old standard throughout your flying career? There is no truer statement in all of flying (well, with the possible exception of "there are no old, bold pilots.")

Aero-News has called upon the expertise of Thomas P. Turner, master CFI and all-around-good-guy, to bring our readers -- and us -- daily tips to improve our skills as aviators. Some of them, you may have heard before... but for each of us, there will also be something we might never have considered before, or something that didn't "stick" the way it should have the first time we memorized it for the practical test.

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Aero-Tips 12.03.06

A major winter storm passed my area yesterday. Today skies are cobalt blue and very cold; seven inches of fresh snow covers the ground. The ambient temperature is 9°F. It would be a very challenging day for a cross-country flight.

Not only would cleaning ice and snow off an airplane and preheating a cold engine be a challenge, but fuel may be an issue as well…especially if you're planning a fuel stop. Take for instance the small airport of Lacon, IL. Identifier C75 is managed by a good friend and co-worker, Neil Pobanz, who earlier this year was inducted into the Illinois Aviation Hall of Fame. Lacon was hit hard by the storm as it slewed northeastward; today there are reportedly 14 inches of snow on the ground, with higher drifts.

Lacon is a great fuel stop with quick turn-times, friendly natives and low fuel prices, a natural place to consider for a stop. Take off in today's smooth, cold skies with that intent, however, and you'll find yourself in trouble. Like most airports, Lacon's runway is plowed by the airport manager, or the city or country road crews. If the airport plows the runway (and taxiways and ramps) plowing may be delayed if snow drifts against a hangar door, making it hard to open, or if the air is so cold the plow equipment (often at general aviation airports, quite old) can't start.

If the municipality or county plows the runway the airport will probably be at the bottom of the priority list, because road crews (after all) are there to clear the roads. And they, too, are subject to operational issues. So it may be some time before the runways are cleared.

Lastly, if you're stopping you're probably going to want fuel. Fuel pumps and trucks are subject to cold-weather operating problems too. It would be very tempting to take off and stretch your luck (but not your airplane's range), if you land after the airport is finally plowed only to find fuel is not available.

Overall, airport management almost always makes Herculean efforts to open airports back up after a snowfall. But sometimes the weather is too great to be overcome quickly. For example, Lacon's plow today is out of service because of the cold, and two county plow trucks that might be able to help went into ditches trying to clear the highways. Airports, and pilots, sometimes have to wait.

Aero-tip of the day: Check NOTAMs for airport closings after a snowfall. If there's any doubt, telephone the airport directly. If there's no answer, that's a good sign the runway isn't open yet because the airport managers are out plowing, or snowed in at home.

FMI: Aero-Tips