On Sun, Jan 10, 2021 at 4:10 PM, Mike Dwyer

<q200pilot@...> wrote:

Hi Everyone.  Today started out cold and blue skies with a light NE wind.  Perfect except for the cold.  It's 15 below zero Floridian.  That's 55F for you northerners.  70F is the coldest temp that a Floridian will go out wearing a short sleeve shirt.  And if we have to, God forbid, find a long sleeve shirt or worst yet a jacket then your going to hear some complaining.

Anyway, back to the report.  The mission today was to hard mount the Camera Gyro Stabilizer and see if I can make it work in the airplane.  Link to G6

So I used one of my stick on deals with some foam blocks to damp the vibration and stuck it to the top of the canopy.  Weird, as I opened and closed the canopy it stayed level.  Maybe this is going to work.  It's starting to get a bit grey out there but maybe it's not too bad so let's go.  I had the hair dryier on blowing hot air into the cowling and the engine is now showing 65F (or -5 Floridian). 

Dragged her out and she fired up pretty well.  I pull the carb heat (think that might be akin to a choke).  Then I used the Hoskins 2 throttle pumps and pull thru 8 blades then jump in and start up.  Had to pump one more time to keep her going.  As I taxied to RWY36 I could tell the camera stabilizer wasn't going to work out well.  The vibration from taxi had slowly made the thing hold the camera at a wonkie angle.  I got warmed up (over 100F oil) and got cleared for take off.  Headed north then west over Tarpon Springs.  Got some video and will post it if anything turned out.  But it's getting cloudier.  No blue sky left.  

I notice my carb temp is showing 22F.  That's probably the coldest I've ever seen it.  The outside air is about 50F, I'm only at 1500'.  Then I start seeing scud clouds at my altitude.  That means I'm right at the dew point.  Don't like that much.  I'd like to go back and land.  So I tune in the tower and it sounds like they must be giving something away down there cause it's crazy.  Trainers mixing it up with 737's.  On second thought I'll just hang around the beach for a while.  I'm not in any hurry so I'm at 50% power and my oil temp is showing 122F... I don't think I've ever seen that as low either.  I have an oil cooler but I cover it for the winter.

After the tower calms down I call in 8 miles out and am cleared for RWY 4, wind calm.  I like that.  So I'm keeping the power up and decide I'm in gliding distance so I pull the carb heat full on.  I watch the carb temp go from 22, 30, 32, 40, 45  and no hickups.  I just left the heat on for the landing because I hadn't reduced power and was high and fast  resulting in a mostly no-power glide.  Oh and the wind, I'd say it was a 10K left crosswind judging by the windsock.  Anyway, I cheated death again.  I think I'll wait for the next 70+F sunny day... 

Fly Safe,

Mike Dwyer

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