Snow and Flying

[john c]

Looking out at the snow falling and the 8-10 inches on the ground reminds me of a few snow and flying episodes.

On a winter day, I flew a C150 from Springdale to the Monkey Island grass strip on Grand Lake to take the flying and practical part of my Private Pilot's license.  Weather was coming from the NW but I thought there was plenty of time to fly over, do the exam and fly back ahead of the weather.  The examiner didn't quite agree with me but we did the flying part (he really scolded me for flying out over the lake on takeoff) and several takeoffs and landings.  (I thought every takeoff there was soft and short field.)  After the last landing, he got out and told me to go back to Springdale and drive back over to complete the exam.  He also told me that if I flew out over the lake don't bother coming back.  I went back, called my girlfriend (now wife of 38 years) and we drove back over - in the snow.  Mrs. Maloskai (sp) visited with my girlfriend while he grilled me on all things flying.  After feeding us, he signed me off as a Private Pilot and we drove back to Fayetteville in the snow.

The first time I flew over a familiar snow covered south Arkansas landscape it wasn't so familiar and quite frankly was a little disorienting.  Things looked different - really different.  OK, yeah, that's the Quachita River but what's that and where is that?

The first time I flew in a snow squall it was really unnerving.  Absolutely no visibility as expected but the visual distraction of the snow coming at me and hitting the windscreen and blowing by was very uncomfortable.  Too many inputs.  Probably would have been better off to put a hood on.  Seat suction increased quite a bit.

[Flying Razorback]

I flew Thursday afternoon over the central and western part of the state and after that turned around and didn't fly my second route.  That was all I needed of icing.

[Flying Razorback]

Also don't forget that with your weather RADAR on aircraft you're not going to pick up frozen precip and snow because it's not wet enough to give a reflection.  It's real easy to inadvertently fly IMC without seeing it ahead on the RADAR at night or to get in to moisture and icing conditions without knowing it.

[Brownstreak]

In my check hauling days I was flying from Memphis to Kansas City and couldn't get out of the icing.  Long story short, as I was descending into KC I picked up so much that I couldn't see out of the windshield.  I had to land by opening up the small side window (BE-58) and look out of that.  Not to mention I had full power on the approach and landing.  By the time I pulled onto the ramp the fueler's eyes were as big as saucers.  When I got out and looked at the airplane my legs started to shake and I almost threw up.
That's one of the top 3 scariest moments of my flying career.

[Flying Razorback]

That's insane.  In my last plane (Beech 400) we had a procedure for slipping from decision height to the runway and kicking it out to touchdown in the event of windscreen obscuration from ice.  I was never a fan of that idea.  I couldn't imagine opening a window to get a view of the runway...

[Warbirdhog]

I saw some video on the WX channel the other morning taken over the NWA area of the snow. They had the name of the name of the pilot but I can't recall who it was. Appeared to have been taken from a 172/182 or similar. Anyway, it was some nice footage.

[gotyacovered]

good stuff guys, john c... you made me lol about your examiner