Time to Solo...maybe not.

[Tyler_12345]

So today I was planning on doing my first solo flight, got all my pre-written solo tests done and completed, spent about an hour getting the frost of the plane in a brisk 30 degrees F (Denver's cold!!), Do all my preflight and get in the plane to start it and the prop won't catch and it wont start. So now i'll have to wait until after thanksgiving to try again. oh well.

[mtsu_av8er]

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So today I was planning on doing my first solo flight, got all my pre-written solo tests done and completed, spent about an hour getting the frost of the plane in a brisk 30 degrees F (Denver's cold!!), Do all my preflight and get in the plane to start it and the prop won't catch and it wont start. So now i'll have to wait until after thanksgiving to try again. oh well.

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They don't have jumper cables?

[mtsu_av8er]

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So today I was planning on doing my first solo flight, got all my pre-written solo tests done and completed, spent about an hour getting the frost of the plane in a brisk 30 degrees F (Denver's cold!!), Do all my preflight and get in the plane to start it and the prop won't catch and it wont start. So now i'll have to wait until after thanksgiving to try again. oh well.

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They don't have jumper cables? Or would it crank but just not start?

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[Tyler_12345]

I dont know what was wrong with it. it wouldnt rotate but the battery was operational.

[Grabo172]

Alot of the time in the cold the engine is frozen... so what you could do is MAKE SURE THE MAGS ARE OFF and the master is off and keys are out of the ignition, and pull the prop through several times by hand to free it. Then get back inside and start it.

We had to do that several times in NY during my time there.

[gomntwins]

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Alot of the time in the cold the engine is frozen... so what you could do is MAKE SURE THE MAGS ARE OFF and the master is off and keys are out of the ignition, and pull the prop through several times by hand to free it. Then get back inside and start it.

We had to do that several times in NY during my time there.

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I've done this a few times also... but before you do this, have somebody give you a ground lesson on how to hand prop an airplane. If you use the proper hand-propping techniques you won't be SOL if the p-leads are shot. Even with the mags off, always be ready for the engine to fire and the prop to spin.

[USMCmech]

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so what you could do is MAKE SURE THE MAGS ARE OFF and the master is off and keys are out of the ignition, and pull the prop through several times by hand to free it.

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Make sure the Mixture is at Idle/Cuttoff as well!

The magnetos are naturally live unless they are grounded!


When the ignition switch is in the off position, it grounds the mag through two small wires. If either of these wires are broken the mag will spark. This may cause the engine to start if the mixture is rich. Even if it is at cutoff, it may cause the prop to kick over once (but not continue) with enough force to crak a skull.


DO NOT EVER hand prop an airplane unless you know what you are doing and completly trust the pilot in the cockpit.



Back on the origional topic durring cold weather the oil really gets stiff, and pulling the prop around by hand may get things flowing. I don't recomend this alone because untill the oil warms up and starts flowing, metal is grinding on metal.

Preheat the oil AT LEAST whenever you are in cold enviroments. I recomed the whole plane in a heated hanger if available.

If you are going to be in the frozen north for any lenght of time change your oil to a lower viscosity grade.



In a real pinch, you can pull a trick used by pilots in Alaska.

Don't try this at home kids.

Drain about 1/4 cup of AVGas and pour it into your engine oil after flying when you think that you will be starting your engine cold the next day.. This will thin out the oil. As the oil heats up and begins to flow, the gas evaporates and exits the crankcase breather.

Some older radials have "oil dilution" systems that do this after the last flight of the day. Most have been removed to save on weight and maintence.

[DE727UPS]

It sounds like the starter bendix isn't engaging. Do you just hear a whirring sound when you hit the starter? I've seen that happen, especially on Cessna 150's. There is a gear that is supposed to pop out and engage the prop when you start but it sometimes doesn't work too well in the cold. Might be a bad part or need to be lubricated.

Anyhow. I bet next time you see if it will start before you defrost the airplane....hehe. If you are a student pilot, I wouldn't want to have you hand propping it without your CFI or a mechanic helping you.

[shooter13]

um.. My advice ... Move to Charleston. I flew today and it was around 70F...

My rule of thumb is that I don't want to live anywhere that I can't go outside naked at least 10 months of the year.. Not that I do that but If I wanted to...Nevermind.