It appears at times that Minnesota and Wisconsin have inordinately long winters. But most inhabitants of this region either love it or fly south for the cold season. Those who stay seem to revel in the crystal clear, yet often frigid days when breathing outside air is almost painful! They look forward to being outside and enjoying the snow, ice and cold. They see some of the beauty that abounds, but sadly, too many miss the exquisite beauty of winter from the vantage-point of flight.
Flying in the winter does require knowledge and use of some different skill sets, like the proper methods of preheating and deicing aircraft, or taxiing on ice or snow-packed taxiways and runways, for instance. The few extra elements added to the preparation for a winter flight, however, are minimal compared to the beauty and pleasure that flight will bring to you. But, one might ask, is that all I need to do to be prepared?
The answer is a resounding no! There really is no excuse for failing to properly prepare yourself and your aircraft for flight, and tailoring those preparations to meet the environmental conditions you may, or will face.
You have a complete checklist for your aircraft, but too few people make or use a personal checklist. If you think about where you are flying, the season and the expected weather conditions you will or could encounter, it should bring to mind a number of items you should plan to take with you, for that “just-in-case” potentiality.
Think about what you would do in the following scenarios.
What if your aircraft heater fails 100 miles from your intended destination? What if you lose electrical power to your panel? What if your engine quits and you have to make an emergency landing miles from the nearest airport or town? What would you need to have with you to survive?
Allowing the assumption that you landed the aircraft safely and no one was hurt, besides the trauma of the emergency itself, you are now faced with a significant survival situation. Assume also that just before landing you spotted a farm house about 1 mile from your location. Do you have adequate footgear to protect you from the cold? Are your gloves dry and will they protect you properly for the 1-mile trek to the farm house? Do you have a compass so you can take a bearing on that house?
If you have to walk through a wooded area, is it level? What if you step into a stream or pond that was covered with snow and ice and you couldn’t see it? Do you have a quality flashlight with fresh batteries? Do you have water, food, or any type of temporary shelter? Are you carrying waterproof matches? Did you bring a first aid kit?
Clearly, this article is not meant to tell you what to do, but rather to provoke your thoughts for survival preparation for winter flying (and driving). Bear in mind that the longest mile you may ever walk will be that one in the dead of winter when you have an emergency that you were not prepared to handle.
There are a number of excellent books available today about survival preparations and techniques. Get several and read them thoroughly. Develop a personal checklist. Build and carry in your car and aircraft a seasonally adjusted and inspected survival pack. You never know when it might make the difference between a large inconvenience and a serious nightmare. Then if you are caught in the grasp of winter, you’ll be prepared to survive and continue to enjoy the beauty that winter has to offer!
