q8cub

I have a strong urge to float fly even in a near freezing cold wave here in kuwait! The temp is around 8 C in the daytime this week here which is below normal temps. I have the option to fly on wheels at a near-by flying site but I still want to go float flying.

I am sure many of the people here float fly in cold regions such as canada or even alaska, and I was wondering how it is compared to warmer days/regions.

Just wanted to share some thoughts on float flying in cold weather.

One more thing! I float fly at a sea so I guess a lake would feel more comfortable in cold weather maybe?

theKM

many people fly in well below freezing. lowest I've flown is probably -15C. Keep you batteries in pockets and such so they're nice and warm when they go to fly (otherwise they'll show a reduced capacity). Lots of fun to be had in cold weather, especially if there's snow around! (snow flying rocks)

meatbomber

the problem with float or waterflying in really cold weather is that the hardness of the water surface tends to increase proportionally to the temperature decreasing...

i like flying on snow tho, it`s all i can do with my pond frozen over

JimCasey

My Feedback: (1)

Somehow it always seems windy when its cold, so that's an obstacle.

Flying off salt water can be damaging to your electronics, but it sounds as if you have protected your plane from that. Still a blowover in salt water would be reason to rush home immediately and to try to clean the plane before things begin to corrode.

And if its windy in Kuwait are the winds from the west? If your motor quits would your plane wind up drifting over to the Iranian coast?
I looked on Google maps. There looks to be an interesting spot at the western end of Nasser street where it becomes AbuDhabi street. There seems to be a school (soccer field is evident) and just to the east of the school is a small bay protected by a row of sandbars. Even the beach at the school might be nice because there appears to be a jetty there that makes a nice flying site. These places are all somewhat confined and the plane would not likely drift far, and the size of the waves would likely be small.

If you get a pleasant day why should you not enjoy flying?

q8cub

Well I can give you the location of our shalih via google earth coordinates winds usually blow from the north/north-west and our beach house is facing north, so I always fly 45% to the front/left and when I land I do it mostly cross wind until the last leg when I turn against the wind into the sea .

we have a big lagoon which is roughly 3-5 Kilometers wide but when the winds are above 20 km/hr then you can't avoid the waves!

I still have to convince a friend to wake up early and go along with me to help me carry the rescue boat! In this cold weather it will be harder to take along a friend who is not into rc flying

JimCasey

My Feedback: (1)

Well at least the sun is to your back when you fly.

If you fly in much wind I suppose the best thing I can suggest is to fly a flying boat not a floatplane. Seamasters can be improved for windy operation by extending the tip floats a bit so they extend to the plane of the top of the step. This way the upwind wing will not catch wind and flip the plane over nearly as easily.

cyclops2

Great idea on full depth floats.

Rich

PeterC

I don't think float flying in near freezing weather is normal, in fact I don't think flying anything in near freezing weather is normal for that matter.
Who's normal?
Peter
Merry Christmas to all.

PeterC

Did you say 8 degrees C? That's down right balmy. Try minus 8 degrees C. The water turns hard and we use floats as skiis.
We have a New Years day tradition up here to have the first flight of the new year. -10 C or -15 C is nor unusual, sometimes even colder. Electrics are very popular in the winter because they always start. Try getting glo fuel on your hands at -15 C. BRRRRRR. A big fire and lots of hot chocolat make it all worth while though.
Peter

JimCasey

My Feedback: (1)

Good point, Peter. What's "Normal" about flying expensive toy airplanes. Even among toy airplane drivers, we floatplane flyers are abnormal.

And the "Near Freezing" remark was, I am sure, meant to be on the "thawed" side of freezing. I was in Alberta once for the summer. It was a beautiful Thursday.

PeterC

Jim, come again when you can stay a little longer. We have some great float flys in the summer. Bring a plane (or two) and have some fun.
Peter

Lake Flyer

My Feedback: (13)

I've gone float flying when there is a rim of ice around the shore. I find having a bottle of your own personal "after run oil" helps a lot. Sometimes it is between flights oil. Anyway I suspect it may be illegal in Kuwait.

Wayne22

My Feedback: (2)

+8 C is positively balmy!!!

donkey doctor

Hello; I damaged my balsa floats the last time I went float flying below zero. The ice I couldn't see cut through the skin, the water was ice free close to shore, but landing into the wind forced me to put it down out there. It slid forever, so I tried to slow it down with the rudder and it just slewed sideways until it broke through the ice, which stopped it cold when the ice slivered through the floats.

A few flights later I was piroetting it while taxiing on the ice, great fun. That big Bingo is a great plane. That was a fun day, thanks for the memory.

captjckirk

Our club, The Des Moines Modelaires, has an annual cold weather fly called the " Penquin Fly", of course named after those rare birds that are smart enough not to fly in cold weather. It is held each New Years Day. Lots of hot chili and hot drinks, and lots of fun. Most planes are on floats or are flying boats because of the snow. We wish all of you a Happy and Peaceful New Year.