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Coldest flight?

redbeardmark

Well Known Member
On the old RV8 site, someone had mentioned a cracked canopy due to flying at a high, cold altitude. The coldest I have flown in is +16F, but am considering flying on colder days. Sure would appreciate hearing from those who've flown their 8/8A in cold weather(how cold?). (This is a good chance to try out this new forum.)
Mark Andrews N598X
 
Cold flying

Good day,

I've been flying when it is about -5 deg F. You sure learn to use your mixture control in those temperatures because it is COLD in that cockpit until the EGT gets up there. I haven't had any canopy problems yet, but then again, due to weather I have only been to able to fly for ~11 hours since my first flight 2 months ago :(

Cheers
 
-5F? That is encouraging.
I have lots of work yet to do sealing up all of the air leaks in the cabin. Unheated hangar means most of it won't get done until spring. So, I'm waiting for temps above zero.
Sure wish I had done the seat heat thing.
 
redbeardmark said:
On the old RV8 site, someone had mentioned a cracked canopy due to flying at a high, cold altitude. The coldest I have flown in is +16F, but am considering flying on colder days. Sure would appreciate hearing from those who've flown their 8/8A in cold weather(how cold?). (This is a good chance to try out this new forum.)
Mark Andrews N598X
Mark: I have flown our Pitts S-2A in temps as low as -25 F. The only crack we got was from a maintenance person leaning on the side of the open canopy. Bruce Bohannon's modified RV-4 has flown to 47000 feet - figure that one out! - and no canopy cracking was mentioned in the articles I read. Bill Dicus
 
redbeardmark said:
-5F? That is encouraging.
I have lots of work yet to do sealing up all of the air leaks in the cabin. Unheated hangar means most of it won't get done until spring. So, I'm waiting for temps above zero.
Sure wish I had done the seat heat thing.
MarK: What's the seat heat thing? Hope to have 80 amps of alternator so probably could afford some for electric seat heat. Bill Dicus
 
coldest flight

Well that decides it then. I'm going flying this evening after work. Might as well reap the benefits of shovelling out the front of the hangar!
 
Ever see a seat heater catch fire?

I haven't but have read some stories about it happening in cars.

A friend of mine who could never get used to winters in Northern Michigan bought an electric heated vest that you could plug into your lighter. He would wear that under his normal winter jacket and plug it in on the way to and from the office. Check the link above.

Just my $.02

Bill
 
Coldest Flight: one more thing to do

I've had my 8 out in weather well below zero with no problems so far with the windshield.

Heating the cabin is another story. I've sealed the rear canopy drafts, run two heat muffs in parallel and installed in seat seat heaters. All have helped keep the cabin warmer. One item left to do is seal the drafts at the fuselage wing root area.

My question is, is there an easy way to install boots to the aileron push rods at the wing root area without having to pull the wings? It is very tight quarters in this area.

As a side note the difference in cabin heat is dramatically different from day to night time flying at the same temperatures. That big canopy and the sun produce quiet a bit of warmth.

I'm getting there. N7GC "Wild Streak"
 
aileron push rod boots

I haven't installed the aileron push rod boots yet. But, it shouldn't be too difficult: unbolt the aileron pushrod at the control column, slip the boot over the pushrod and slide it toward the fuselage sidewall, repeat for the other pushrod. Maybe proseal the boot to the fuselage sidewall? Not sure what to do about that.

greg_gruninger said:
I've had my 8 out in weather well below zero with no problems so far with the windshield.

Heating the cabin is another story. I've sealed the rear canopy drafts, run two heat muffs in parallel and installed in seat seat heaters. All have helped keep the cabin warmer. One item left to do is seal the drafts at the fuselage wing root area.

My question is, is there an easy way to install boots to the aileron push rods at the wing root area without having to pull the wings? It is very tight quarters in this area.

As a side note the difference in cabin heat is dramatically different from day to night time flying at the same temperatures. That big canopy and the sun produce quiet a bit of warmth.

I'm getting there. N7GC "Wild Streak"
 
Push rod boots

Where to you find push rod boots?

Ulf
RV8AQB N84UN


redbeardmark said:
I haven't installed the aileron push rod boots yet. But, it shouldn't be too difficult: unbolt the aileron pushrod at the control column, slip the boot over the pushrod and slide it toward the fuselage sidewall, repeat for the other pushrod. Maybe proseal the boot to the fuselage sidewall? Not sure what to do about that.
 
push rod boots

Ulf,
I think you have to fabricate them. Check out Michael White's message, just above yours in this thread.
Mark Andrews
 
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