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Winter Soldiers

Vlad

Well Known Member
I fly my RV9A all year around. Winter flying has its limitations it's challenging but very interesting. Engine likes thick, cold and tasty winter air. Dress warm, preheat and go flying!


2011. Noah, Captain John and I at Rangeley Lake, ME.





Every year the owner of Baldmountain Lodge plows a good chunk of the lake.







The same area (Northern Maine) sounds inviting isn't it?












Seaplane base at Alton Bay NH converts to an FAA approved ice runway pretty much every year when ice is thick enough to hold a Boeing 777.


First I visited in Feb 2012.










After that I was coming every year. In 2014 I visited Alton Bay 7 times.







Lake Sacandaga in Upstate NY. Slippery!!!









A Finger Lake unable full stop...







Show your winter landings be it on a frozen water on a snow covered runway. How did you use your brakes?
 
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That is what I want to know- how do you use your brakes or even steer while taxiing?

Cold ice actually provides a reasonable amount of traction. What you don't want is temperatures right around the freezing level or above and a small amount of water forming between the tires and ice. Then you're on ice skates which is actually how skates work. They thaw a film of water between the ice and blades. Usually the colder the ice the better the traction.

George
 
Ha!

I hadn't noticed this until now.

Here's some more pictures.

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This is The RV-6 that I fly.

:). CJ
 
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In answer to the questions,

The canopies are just fine. We haven't had any issues yet.

The ice gets kind of tacky when you taxi on it. It helps to make left hand turns with power on. P factor and rudder effectiveness will help you, should you need it.

:cool: CJ
 
VLAD knows.

I gotta thank you VLAD for your awesome pictures and commentary. You bring a lot of character, inspiration and useful information to this great forum .Im Very grateful to be able share these experiences with people who can appreciate what we have as a pilots and people keen on adventure. We are very fortunate.
Now back to work so I can buy more fuel and fly on!
 
Thanks Andy sure gas is the major factor limiting RV wonderful experience. :)



Looks cold! You you do anything special to protect the canopy from cracking due to the cold?


In the cold I open and close the canopy VERY SLOW. Once I landed somewhere on a frozen lake and stopped to greet locals. It was freezing cold. When I unlocked the canopy and started lifting it I heard a frightening crackling sound. Scared the heck out of me. It was merely a bite of front skin on tipup where it hugs upper fuselage. No damage no cracks.


 
I called up to Alton Bay this morning and the news is good. This crazy cold weather is making ice quickly. They expect to open soon - perhaps as early as a week.
 
If the ice has been chewed up by plows and skidoos the traction is surprising. I am surprised that you guys keep your wheel pants on for winter ops.

We have a lot of these kinds of events here in the Montreal area. Winter is long and cold and there are 1000s of lakes. It's good fun. If you don't find a way to enjoy winter you are going to be bummed out for 50% of the year.
 
I haven't landed on a lake...yet. But do enjoy winter operations if the sun is out.
-5F this day and high pressure during phase 1 testing 2011. Going home I pushed everything forward and was showing 194kts TAS at 6500', she likes the cold too.
 
Winter ops Stanley N.S.

There is no winter maintenance on the field, but we haven't had much snow this year so far. An unusual mid winter opportunity. :)

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Vlad, nice pic! I wish I wasn't working otherwise I would have joined you!

Looking forward to the BMC fly in!

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All are welcome to join us!

Vlad, post your picture of the runway so that others know what to expect.

Paullie, you need to fly down and play!

See you this summer!

Who else is in for the fly in? Noah? Agent Orange? "Impossible Turn" Al? Machine man?

:cool: CJ
 
Vlad, nice pic! I wish I wasn't working otherwise I would have joined you!

Looking forward to the BMC fly in!

2015%20winter%20Fly%20In.png


All are welcome to join us!

Vlad, post your picture of the runway so that others know what to expect.

Paullie, you need to fly down and play!

See you this summer!

Who else is in for the fly in? Noah? Agent Orange? "Impossible Turn" Al? Machine man?

:cool: CJ



Attention! Ahtung! Внимание!!

Flash Mobsters!
Fellow Canadians!
Long Range Bombers from the south!
All other RV sympathizers!


Yesterday I conducted a recon mission and I am glad to report that ice runway is in use and in great condition. Steve Filbrick the lodge owner is working hard to keep it. He will be also plowing another perpendicular runway in case there is a cross wind. He will be scoring/grooving the ice to improve braking action. When I landed there I wasn't able to turn around at the end of the runway and had to taxi on unplowed lake to parking. It will be corrected by this red monster groover.









Runway on the frozen lake is very long and wide. Parking area moved from the place of last year because of a giant crack in the ice.














Captain John there is another RV who might claim "the newest airplane" prize if I talk him to visiting. Hi Oliver. Maybe you can show them some acro we will clear airspace for you :)



 
Attention! Ahtung! Внимание!!


Captain John there is another RV who might claim "the newest airplane" prize if I talk him to visiting. Hi Oliver. Maybe you can show them some acro we will clear airspace for you :)

Sorry won't make it next weekend. Already had promised my kids to go skiing otherwise I would... . So "the newest airplane" prize is still up for grabs.

Oliver
p.s. You won't see me do acro any time soon. I only do that for myself so high that you won't find me anyway... .
 
Sweet! Victory is mine! Hahaha

Oliver, when did you get your AW cert? Mine was October 5, 2014.

Hope to see you up here soon!

Any friend of Vlad's is a friend of mine.

:). CJ
 
Sweet! Victory is mine! Hahaha

Oliver, when did you get your AW cert? Mine was October 5, 2014.

Hope to see you up here soon!

Any friend of Vlad's is a friend of mine.

:). CJ

Darn got me beat anyway. My first flight was September 23rd my AW cert is from the 21st. Just finished my phase 1 flight testing in December and am finally free to roam around... . I am sure will make it up there sometime.

Oliver
 
Hey guys!

I say that we bump this to Sunday, as it is supposed to be the better flying day of the weekend!

I just called up there and spoke to Tyler and he says, "Come on up"!

I am thinking of arriving sometime around 11.

:) CJ
 
Glen, sorry that you are out. See you another time soon I hope!

Vlad, this is going to be a good one! Bring your camera!

Alfio! It has been too long! Is Shirley coming too?!? I can introduce you to Jenny! Looking forward to seeing you both!

:D. CJ
 
Alfio! It has been too long! Is Shirley coming too?!? I can introduce you to Jenny! Looking forward to seeing you both!

:D. CJ

Shirley and I plan to be there... Wait a second here.... so you will introduce me to Jenny if Shirley does not come along? Talk about getting me into trouble.
 
Alfio,

You made me laugh out loud at that one! hahaha

All, Alfio asked for directions to the ice base, as it is not published.

If you look at the chart, locate the Rangeley NDB (221 RQM). It is located a couple of miles southeast of the pinnacle of Bald Mountain. Bald mountain has a fire tower placed on it's top along with some picinic tables that might be covered with snow unless hikers have been there.

The Fly in is located to the WEST on MOOSELOOKMEGUNTIC LAKE. We just call it "Moose Look".

So, you will see the runway plowed out to about 4,000' and on the eastern shore of Moose Look, about a couple of miles west DME of the RQM Beacon. We will be using the same Unicom frequency as Rangeley Airport (122.9) and Steve will be Airboss on the lake with a handheld radio. Hail when you are in the vicinity.

While enroute I may be found on 123.45.

See you all there!

:) CJ
 
All,

For local weather and airport webcam, see www.rangeleypilots.com. Alfio, you will remember 8B0 from your last visit. In the webcam are the fuel pumps you will be tapping into for your return trip.

Also, it looks like we chose well to push the trip off for Sunday. The www.baldmountaincamps.com webcams show a full sock of wind and blowing snow. Tomorrow is expected to be better!

To those who can't make it, check the Bald Mountain Camps webcam around noon time tomorrow for RV's on ice!

:cool: CJ
 
First Photos

Great flying weather. We flew in to Odgensburg first to clear customs. First time they brought a dog out.

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Flew over Jay Peak
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Bundled up for the ride from Carp, ON to Rangeley, ME. Flying at 7,500 ft -23C
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Steve did a great job plowing the runway
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We parked next to agent orange
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4 out of 5 RVs. Rich was to join us a few minutes later. The runway was all ours.
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Great food and hospitality. Thanks again Steve (resort owner standing with a 3 months old future pilot)
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Departure time
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Beautiful country.
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Amen to that, Lars. I went out to the airport this morning only minutes after Alfio and Shirley departed. Was expecting to spend some time on the tractor moving snow, but the wind had already done that for me. Looked mighty cold out there!
 
Survived a cold day

We've dealt with worse, but today was quite chilly. Amazing how much room can be used up in these RVs when wearing 4 layers of clothes.

Ready to launch.
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Nice view of Mt. Washington. Winds aloft made for some interesting turbulence and currents.
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Five RVs showed up for this frozen lake adventure. After some great clam chowder, we all headed back out to the ramp (iceberg?) Awesome plowjob by Steve
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BUT WAIT! Is that a Russian fly-by?
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Only two RV's make it to 2nd lake for the day. Note that most of the food places close before 3:30 at Alton Bay!
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Glad to meet you all for a fun flying day!
-AO
 
Great to see all you guys again!

Alfio and Shirley, glad you guys made the trip despite being sniffed by CBP doggies! Thanks for this picture of Machine Man and me from this unique perspective!

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This was a memorable trip for Machine Man, as it was his birthday flight! Someday I'll be as old as he!

It was memorable for me too, as this was my first long trip outside of my phase 1 area and through Bravo airspace to land on a Frozen lake in my other hometown in a plane I built myself! A very gratifying experience!

Jenny did very well despite a few bumps we had climbing out of the mountains!

Agent Orange and Allison blew past me like I was standing still on climbout. Great to see you guys too! I will plan another get together this summer as well.

Vlad and Dimitri, always a pleasure! Vlad that sled really screams, huh? 150 hosses under the hood!

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See you all again soon!

Sorry that we couldn't make it to Alton Bay.

:cool: CJ
 
Mooselookmeguntic. Season 4

It's winter time! Before we know it there will be the scorching heat of July and August. When Turbo comes from the South and brings big RV crowds to this remote place. Time to chisel out ice chocks. Time to go North it's only 3 hours flight!






In 1.7 hours the air-to-air frequency got busy. Flash Mob Squadron was closing on from three cardinal directions. I was the first one to arrive. Alfio just cleared US Customs and was 50 minutes out. Time to kill on a turn around a point.







Quick recon yielded good results. Ice runway is in excellent shape and a good wind on the nose.










Orange crew.







Canadian polar bears.







Commanding Officer (to the left) with his Ideology and Propaganda Chief (to the other left).







All PICs and most of the crews are here. Happy Birthday Machineman! Not every RVator could boast this kind of party on his BD!







After rather quick lunch it was time to depart. Low temperature and wind chill cooled our engines in spite of blankets over them.







Looking forward to Season 5 in 2016!
 
Vlad the professor

Vlad expands our cultural awareness. Many thanks, "friend I haven't met yet."

From Wikipedia...

"The name "Mooselookmeguntic" is an Abnaki word for "moose feeding place"; although a humorous legend states that a Native American was hunting moose in the area, and spotted one. The native had forgotten to load his rifle, but took the shot anyway. Thinking his rifle was damaged, he began yelling at the moose about his misfortune." :)
 
Great Sacandaga Lake, NY ice patrol

... and the verdict is; the ice is not thick enough for safe landing. Some ATVs drive closer to the shores but no heavier vehicles. It's been a warm winter in the Northeast.






 
I didn't land on a lake, but the runway at Cabin Creek (97MT) was slicker than I expected. Good thing for big rudders, as there was zero braking available. I could barely stand up when I got out of the plane.



Luckily the sun melted a lot before i had to take off that afternoon.


 
Could you elaborate on those Scott? The only on-ice events in Canada I know are organized by Kingston Ultralight Club http://kingstonultralightclub.ca/events/ are there any others?


Hi all !

I just checked event calendar for the Quebec Bush Pilot Association (www.apbq.com), here are some ice runway events planned for this winter:

1) Mo's Fly In 2016, on Feb 27: This is happening on the Ottawa River near Aylmer, approximately 1 mile west of Ottawa VOR
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2) RVA Lac Poh?n?gamook Feb 26-28: It is the winter festival for this small community at the border of Quebec and Maine; a 100 ft X 2500 ft runway will be plowed on the Lake Poh?n?gamook
Contact Info : POH?N?GAMOOK, H?TEL DE VILLE 1309, rue Principale Poh?n?gamook (Qu?bec) G0L 1J0 CANADA T?l?phone: 418-863-7722 Url: http://pohenegamook.net/evenement/pohenegamook-haut-en-couleur-2016/

3) RVA Lake ? Jim March 26: That is in the Lac St-Jean region, 32 Nm North of the city of Roberval. It is about 2.5 "Cessna flight hours" North of Montreal
Contact Info : Carl Lamothe: 418-480-5847 Christian Taillon: 418-671-0262 Restaurant: 418-274-6033
http://lacajim.ca/fr/

Here is a picture of Lac ? Jim last winter 2015

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There are 10,000 frozen lakes in Quebec each winter. Lots of frozen runways to discover. We usually speak French and English, so no excuse to come visit Quebec ! (Plus the USD/CAD exchange rate is great now for US tourists...)

Au plaisir !

Martin
Beech Sundowner based at Mascouche (CSK3)
RV-8....well in construction
 
VLAD,

I fly a 7A out of S17 in Trenton SC, but have a home/camp at Great Sacandaga Lake. We are 7 miles north of the Bachelorville bridge. Was up there last summer with the RV and landed at Plateau Sky Ranch. Amazing to see the picture of home here on VAF!!
 
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