As I'm writing this, it is late August in Carefree, AZ, with bright blue skies and about 105 degrees. I know what you are thinking! How can he possibly know anything about winter flying with that perspective? Well, I did spend 7 years flying out of Minot AFB, ND, and 30 years out of Denver, CO, with many winter trips to Minneapolis, MN, Chicago, IL, Detroit, MI, Cleveland, OH, Buffalo and Syracuse, NY. One of my worst winter flying encounters was a monumental blizzard in Boston, MA. Heavy wet snow, high winds, followed by sub zero temperatures, which turned Logan Airport into an absolute nightmare. By the way, much of the time in Denver was spent in the Colorado Rockies with my Mooney. There, the credibility factor has been addressed, and we'll get on with the discussion.
 
            It seems to me a discussion of what constitutes winter flying is in order, since one pilot opinion can vary considerably from another point of view. Certainly, a pilot based in the Great Lakes region will have a perspective different than a pilot based in Great Falls, MT. To the OH pilot, the prospect of low ceilings, low-level icing, and generally sloppy conditions are normal winter flying. The MT based pilot will not have the moisture-laden clouds as often as the OH pilot, but icing is still a factor, albeit on a different scale. Winds are a very significant factor to the pilot flying in the mountainous areas of our country, and present a very important factor in the MT pilot's decision making. Most mountain pilots know that if the winds at mountaintop are 30 Kts or greater, one better re-evaluate the importance of the flight. By the way, Colorado has been successful in providing mountain pass AWOS systems throughout the state, which has greatly improved the flight planning. The pilot based in the San Joaquin Valley is aware of the dense and persistent fog that is prevalent during the winter months, so it becomes apparent winter flying means different things to different pilots.
 
            One aspect of winter flying common to most pilots is the subject of icing. Let's look first at airframe icing on the ground. In my judgment, this is probably the easiest to recognize, and should be the easiest decision to make. Never, ever take off with any accumulation of ice or frost on your airplane. I usually try to avoid words like "always" and "never", but in this case the word never really does apply. It's very simple-don't take off with any ice or frost on your airplane!
 
            It seems to me that almost everything to be written about in-flight icing has been around a long time, but as new pilots become exposed to the dangers, it is best we take another look at the subject. The most common misperception is that the result of ice is a degradation of the load carrying capability of the airplane. We have all heard the hangar conversation where a pilot says, "my airplane can carry a lot of ice". Meaning of course that the weight of the ice is the dangerous factor. Most Mooney pilots already know that the ice changes the shape of the airfoil (wing and tail), and dramatically increases the stall speed of the subject airfoil. Most Mooney pilots also know that their Mooney airfoils are more effective in accumulating ice than other airplanes. The big, fat Bonanza wing has a bigger bow wave, which deflects more of the molecules, hence accumulating ice at a slower rate. It is still a problem to the Bonanza pilot, but only gives him a little more time to realize he's in trouble. There are almost unlimited icing scenarios, so I don't intend to get in to discussion of rime vs. clear, except to say that freezing rain is the devil himself, and bad things will happen if we don't get out of it quickly. And therein lies the overriding objective of every Mooney pilot exposed to in-flight icing-Get out of it as soon as you can! Even the old adage of climbing to get out of freezing rain is under question. Are we certain the warmer air is only 1000' or so above us, and can our normally aspirated Mooney climb with the already accumulated ice? Maybe a 180 turn is more appropriate in this case.
 
            A winter weather problem peculiar to the turbocharged Mooney is the possibility of fuel icing at the high altitudes and colder atmosphere. Fuel icing can also be a problem for any Mooney operating in extremely cold conditions, so it is wise to use aviation isopropyl alcohol in the POH recommended proportions. My friend, Don Kaye, has had first hand experience with operating a Bravo in the flight levels during the winter, and knows the feeling when the engine starts to sputter because of fuel icing.
 
            Strong winter headwinds at normal cruising altitudes will invariably lead to a decrease in the range capability of our Mooney. The accident reports are replete with fuel exhaustion crashes, and it's always the same excuse-I have made this trip many times and always had enough fuel. But not this time! Know the winds and plan accordingly.
 
            I believe forecast-icing conditions should always make us plan for an alternative strategy. Remember, waiting until tomorrow is an alternative strategy!
 
Fly Safe!