cold weather - what do you do?

[HBF]

It's snowing today - and my flying days are drawing to a close for the winter.

What's the best way to maintain the batteries. I have LiPo batteries for the planes and a NiCd for my radio.

Just wondering what everyone does to be ready for the spring...

[Glacier Girl]

What afraid of a little cold? LOL! This from someone who now lives in Florida.

I loved flying in snow. Floats on birds makes take off/landings easy.

And blasting across fresh powder with one of my Strykers was a great. It would shoot a big old rooster tail behind it when it was down low and fast.


But anyhow, if you don't plan on flying, I've heard several versions of how to pack em up for storage.

Since I don't really let mine sit around for long, I'll let someone else chime in who does.

[flydiver]

Put lipo's in storage (3.85v/cell), ziplock, place in fridge or cool dry (non-freezing) location.
Cycle the nicads ~ 1-3 months.

[KeninAZ]

Doesn't your LiPo Charger feature a storage mode? Mine does as do many I have seen. That would solve that problem.

[CNY_Dave]

C'mon, I've been out flying at -18F, as long as it's not windy and you have thin gloves, you're good to go!

Dave

[Rockin Robbins]

I wear jeans instead of shorts. A sweater is very helpful sometimes, and I fly as usual.

[Davethebluessinger]

I have some neoprene anglers gloves that are ideal for winter use, they have holes for just your thumb and forefinger to poke through, ideal for TX use! A hat that covers your ears and a buff over your nose and you're good to go!

As per the previous threads, use the Lipo Storage mode on your charger for prolonged storage.

[Rockin Robbins]

Also, if you live somewhere that below 40º F temps are sustained for more than a day or so, keeping lipos in your pocket will keep them warm to improve performance. If you live in Florida, just wait 24 hours and fly in the warmer weather.

This is RC country unless you like to fly in snow. Flying a float plane in the snow sounds like fun!

[dumo01]

If it is really too snow to be out, it is great build weather. One of the most fun weekends I had was a couple years ago we had a big snow dump, so I spent the weekend working on the B17, watching the snow come down and playing with the dogs.
It was kind of depressing however spending last weekend putting the batteries into storage mode for the year. Felt like there should be more of a ceremony, than just having a beer.
I'm sure i will fly some more this year yet but hard to tell when so I thought the time had come. Looking at the forecast for the weekend, maybe will have to do some recharging, just not all the batteries

[racie34]

get some ski's or floats on something and blast off that snow!..It's fun

[gramps2161]

Yup my batteries keep getting used all winter not as much as the summer, but they still see action. The road that leads to our club is dirt, and not plowed so it is off limits to us. I find new places to fly pop up all over.
It's the ponds once they get a good coating of ice on them they are great to fly off of. Sun is warm on you plus I can make a campfire to warm up by, and it is a great time.
I take a little cooler and it has a rack on the bottom. Under the rack I place one of those hand warmers the batteries go on top of the rack. This helps keep the batteries from getting cold, and warm lipos work better than cold ones.

[earthsciteach]

I plan on flying all winter! Layer up, knit cap, flask full of bourbon. Good to go!

[rcers]

Brilliant... not...

[earthsciteach]

Humor-0. Lack of a sense of humor-1.

[rcers]

Sorry to me there is nothing funny about drinking and flying.

Just today, thanksgiving, a 72 year old driving the wrong way on the freeway in FT Worth killed a 17 year old. It just isn't funny to me today. O yea the 72 year old was drinking.

Both died.

I will continue to not have much humor when folks recommend drinking irresponsibly.

[earthsciteach]

Long way between drinking and driving and responsibly having a beverage in the privacy of one's own home or property.

It is all about being responsible and having the good sense to know when you are a danger to others. I am not advocating drinking and driving in any way.

[Rockin Robbins]

And I don't think the 72 year-old in the example was flying. Or at least not flying an RC airplane. You are right, it is not fun when they are flying in an automobile while drunk.

Also, while it is recommended to drink bourbon or other alcoholic beverages outside in the freezing cold in order to stay warm, studies show that alcohol actually accelerates heat loss. So the real effect and the perceived effect are opposite. That could be a danger in a survival situation.

[bigtruck169]

we keep flying till we can't fell our fingers.not that bad right now

[rcers]

Originally Posted by earthsciteach

Long way between drinking and driving and responsibly having a beverage in the privacy of one's own home or property.

It is all about being responsible and having the good sense to know when you are a danger to others. I am not advocating drinking and driving in any way.

I think flying RC and drinking have no place together. I didn't say you did advocate drunk driving. I was pointing out the reason it was not funny to me today.

[RightFly]

I plan on putting skies on my Flylite so I try flying off of snow. Meanwhile I am practicing on my RF5 sim with shooting gloves. They have thin leather on the tip of the fingers on the underside. A little clumsy but the coldest day when it is not blowing or raining so far was about 38degF and really did not need gloves. I keep my batteries in my pocket.

[solentlife]

This year instead of flying from solid ground - actually hard packed snow ......... I'm considering ski's on my Cessna and walk out onto the frozen river at back of my house. It's wide and plenty of flight area ...



Just have to pick an area that the 'Ice-fishers' are not on !

It drops to average -10 ... -15C in winter here with odd -30C ...