Winter Flying...
 

It seems like most guys at my club, here in PA, don't fly if it's much below 40, but I know there are some real die hards out there that fly with colder temps than that... so here's a question for you guys...

What do you do to keep your hands from going numb while flying? I'm assuming you just get used to flying with gloves on. I've been wearing some cutoff, or fingerless gloves... like weight lifting gloves... they cover your hand and about 2/3 of your fingers, but the fingertips are cut off. These help a little, but when the temp goes down into low-mid 30's it's hard to get even one flight in w/o my fingers going numb!

I've heard of some sort of box or bag that you hold the TXin, which is supposed to keep your hands warm, but I've never actually seen such a contraption?

I'm guessing I'm just going to have to get used to flying with gloves on in the sim, and then try it for real. I flew my heli for about 20 seconds with gloves on and landed it to take them off... didn't feel comfortable at all!

RE: Winter Flying...
 

Go to your local hunting store and look through their gloves.. Some are REALLY thin, but keep your hands really warm. Normally I can't do anything in gloves, I have to be able nto "feel" everything, but these dont bother me.

RE: Winter Flying...
 

I use cold weather golf gloves -- they have a non-slip finish on the palm & underside of the fingers, & the are thin & flexible -- good for one flight at -10C -- then you have to warm your hands up again.

RE: Winter Flying...
 

I second the recommendation of using thin shooting gloves. You can buy a set of gloves that has the thin gloves and heavier gloves that go over them. You can keep the heavier gloves on until you fly then use the thin gloves. The heavier gloves really keep you hands warm when you are not flying.

Out here at this altitude, it can be zero or below but if the sun is out, it seems warm like in the 30's and 40's and flying is fun as long as the wind stays low.

"Wyoming Wind Festival, Jan 1 to Dec 31!"

Rich

RE: Winter Flying...
 

Yep, know exactly what you mean. I have family in Gillette.

RE: Winter Flying...
 

find some of them pad things that as soon as you open the package they get warm and put them inside your glove. never tried it with planes but use them when i take my rc truck out in the snow.
don't know what they are called but you should beable to get some at a hunting store.

RE: Winter Flying...
 

I use soft cotton gloves that are thin. They keep my hands warm whilst the weather is in the 30's. I think I gave a buck or two for them at the Dollar Store!

RE: Winter Flying...
 

Is this the sort of thing you're looking for?...can't seem to get a link, so here's how to get there...

Go to www.greathobbies.com, enter the site and click on "Advanced Search" at the bottom. Enter "GHPMITT" in the Part Number field, then "Search"

One of the guys at the field has one, seems to work well for him...I'm thinking of getting one myself...and a pair of skis...it's been cold(for here) and snowy the last couple of weeks!

RE: Winter Flying...
 

That looks perfect!

http://www.greathobbies.com/scart/pr...Number=GHPMITT

It won't work well for my hand launched planes, though, at least when I launch them myself. I need to be able to toss the plane and put my right hand on the TX immediately after... don't have time to fiddle with getting my hand in the TX bag opening.

Yesterday, I got a pair of neoprene gloves (Glacier Gloves by Kenai) that might do the trick, also got some of those chemical handwarmer packs to put in the gloves, plan to give them a try today. The gloves are pretty much like the pair on top of the web page link below, but mine are black with some bright orange on the knuckles, not camo. They have a grippy rubber on the palms and all fingers but the index and thumb. Index finger and thumb is just neoprene for "lower friction"... supposed to give you a better tactile feel. The blurb on the website claims the Navy Seals and the US Skeet Shooting Team uses them...

http://www.glacierglove.com/pages/hunting.htm

RE: Winter Flying...
 

mid 30s???? i just got an email from a flying buddy he was out thismorning, temp was 32.... below zero! that is crazy

RE: Winter Flying...
 

I've used the [link=http://www.slopeflyer.com/artman/publish/article_13.shtml]Mongo Mitt[/link] for two years now. They work great even in sub zero temps. My hands actually sweat inside. Shoot Katie an email. She made mine and put my initials on it for under $40.

RE: Winter Flying...
 

I have a pair of glove/mittens that I use when it's cold. They are a pair of fingerless gloves with a mitten flap for the fingers, and a thumb flap for the thumb. I open the thumb flaps when I'm flying, so just my thumbtips get cold. I got them at a sporting goods store in the hunting section.

rcdude37 --- where's the field in Aberdeen? I'm from around that area originally, and still get back up there every so often.

RE: Winter Flying...
 

Spring gloves for skiing are thinner and warm. Most ski shops should have them for $20 or less.
They are great for shoveling the drive etc.

RE: Winter Flying...
 

Hey guys, this is my first post here, but what about going to an army surlpus and buying some flight gloves? You know, the ones you see fighter pilots wearing....they must have good dexterity or they wouldn't use em...Plus you would have some flying gloves for flying!!

RE: Winter Flying...
 

Well... real pilots (i.e. full scale plane pilots) don't fly with just their thumbs and index fingers like we model pilots do... so I'm not sure that you would get much of a "feel" with those.

I found that the neoprene hunting gloves I got worked OK. Didn't have as much "feel" as I would have liked, but they fit skin tight and had enough "feel" that I was able to get comfortable flying with them. They are also waterproof, so fuel/oil won't soak through them like wool or other fabric gloves.

RE: Winter Flying...
 

No, but they do have to have the dexterity to punch buttons and turn dials etc..like punching the number pad for targeting and radar stuff in fighter jets. Probably wouldn't want to punch the wrong button there! The flight gloves are similar to the cold weather golf glove or football recievers gloves, they have to have a good feel for the club/ball don't they?Anyway, it was just a suggestion...

RE: Winter Flying...
 

Hands sweating can be a problem especially with the neoprene gloves. This results in extremely cold hands. An old trick for that is to spray your hands with antiperspirant before using the gloves. I use wool fingerless gloves for an outer glove and a wool liner glove inside-they are warm even wet!;)

RE: Winter Flying...
 

Back here in Quebec, Canada, I flew my plane at temperatures of about 17F or -8C. It's not a problem for half-an-hour. After that, it's too cold to fly without gloves but I only have 2 batteries that last 15 minutes each so after that I go back to my house to charge up and warm my hands ;). I have Burton gloves that I use to sky. They are not thick but even that is kind of annoying while flying.

RE: Winter Flying...
 

I flew yesterday and it was 5 degrees Fahrenheit out. Your fingers don't last long out there when it's that cold.

RE: Winter Flying...
 

I just use thin cotton gloves that cost like 75 cents a pair, and they keep my hands warm enough to get a flight in before they get too cold. At the club where I fly we plow the field all winter, and there are usually guys out there flying on sunday even when it gets to around -20 C or colder (not sure what that is in farenheit). I've been thinking about making one of these [link]http://home.midwestinfo.net/djam/[/link] as it doesn't require much for sewing skills.

RE: Winter Flying...
 

If you were dedicated you'd put the stick between your teeth before you toss the plane. :)

RE: Winter Flying...
 

Haha! I think I would have better luck tossing it left handed and keeping my right hand on the stick! Besides, if the guys at the club saw me putting one of my TX sticks in my mouth... no telling what rumors they'll start... :)

RE: Winter Flying...
 

THE flight gloves will work pretty well but as stated, they are not as dexterious as you might think especially when new. for throwing switches, pushing buttons , fine but for very fine adjustments not really.they dont always fly with the gloves either. also being nomex/leather they are very expensive. sweating should not be a problem .if it is, its too warm for gloves anyway. also they are not as warm as other gloves normally.personal experience.
i have used the brown cheap jersey gloves with tips cut off. using the heat packs sounds like a great idea too.

RE: Winter Flying...
 

Hello there! I found the solution to all my hand warming problems at this site : http://webpages.charter.net/sparksaz/txmitten/

The transmitter mitten is top quality and keeps my hands toasty in some very cold weather.

Sean

RE: Winter Flying...
 

Hello from Finland!

My personal record is around minus 20 Fahrenheit (~minus 30 Celsius). It was Sig Something extra with Saito F56 4-cycle. I had to start the engine in a house and then quickly go out for a fly. The engine and plane was just fine when I only got the engine started.

This winter we dont have such temperatures. Only around plus 20 Fahrenheit ( minus 7 C) but I still have problems with a heli. the plastic parts goes broken too easy. Soo.. I would prefer flying balsa in arctic conditions. I would even recommend wooden propeller for extreme cold.

+ Keep all of your body, specially your head warm (commando hat). Your fingers will stay warm if your body is warm! Wool socks and all wool material helps under some wind resistive clothes. We call it "layer clothing" (insulation under, wind cover at top) Then you will be just fine with even open fingertip gloves.

+ NiMH battery is no good. If you have no choise, charge it somehow hot just before the flight and wrap it inside some thermal insulation. NiCd is much better for winter.