Comment

Comment by Bob Simmons on November 24, 2010 at 10:59pm

And for those of who will be using a tie-down without electricity?

Comment by Paul Hammond on November 24, 2010 at 5:43pm

G,Day guys . I posted here before about what I do , back my nissan navara up to the zodiac put a 8ft length of pipewith a right angle against the nose wheel pointed up the cowl ,connect over the exhaust 1500 rpm for 10 minutes kick it in the guts .starts first time every time

Comment by Kevin McCune on November 24, 2010 at 2:35pm

Well, my 701 is not done yet, but I was thinking of this last week end. I went flying with my buddy in his Challenger 2. He uses a torpedo heater blowing on the exposed engine ( it was 17 deg F when we left). After a lot of searching and lamenting, I think I will use a Raven 1300SVS, so I guess I will put a frost plug heater in it.

Comment by Jonathan Porter on November 24, 2010 at 12:17am

Wow.... I think you are all very brave living in the cold.... a much simpler solution, with more flying possibilities, is to move to our part of West Africa... never gets below 20C (mid 80F) - even at night...

Could you not use those chemical hand warming packs - you know 'snap and warm' things - especially when there is no electricity?

I do remember living in the French Alps and waiting ages to warm engines in the snow... but you guys are tough - perhaps you should also add 'what warm clothing solutions' to a similar blog (I used to fly in ski salopettes - but getting in and out the plane is tough... )

Comment by Bob Pustell on November 23, 2010 at 6:55pm

My Zodiac is not yet flying, but I have a Tanis Engine Heater on my Stinson (and used to have one on a Grumman Tiger, years ago). The Tanis unit is fantasic. It is meant to leave on at all times (it will not overheat or cook your engine or accessories) or you can turn it on five or six hours before you want to fly. It takes a long time to bring the engine up to temp because it does it with a steady low dose of heat, that is why it can just be left on.

The 110 volt heaters are built onto the engine. There are heaters that replace bolts, heaters that are pad types that glue onto oil pans and nose cases, heaters that screw into unused CHT wells on cylinder heads, etc etc. They have a wide array of heaters. For common engines, they have pre-engineered packages of heaters and a wiring harness, but they are also willing to work up a package for unusual engines, they tell me. I plan to work up a Tanis heater for my Corvair when I finish my Zodiac.

No open flames, no overheating worries, no blistered paint, and a totally warm engine - the heat saturates everything, not just warm oil or warm cylinder heads. The engine thinks it is a warm spring day. You do need electricity in your hangar or at your tie-down spot, and you do need to leave it on full time or turn it on five or six hours before you plan on flying, but it works wonderfully. My two cents.

Comment by Bob McDonald on November 23, 2010 at 6:55pm

I use a Reiffe electric heater made for the Rotax 912 engine. They make a heater for most popular engines. The heater is factory wired, thermostat control and protected so as no to burn down your aircraft or hangar....or your nieghbours hangar.