FLYING Magazine News Training and Proficiency

How to Handle Winter Flying

A change of season doesn't mean you're grounded.

Wednesday, January 01, 2025 at 09:00 AM ET

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Given an adequate ceiling, visibility, and some instructor creativity, it is possible to continue flight training in the winter months. [Adobe Stock]

Key Takeaways:

Winter flight training is feasible but demands meticulous pre-flight planning, including aircraft preheating, battery maintenance, and strict adherence to cold-weather start procedures to ensure safe operation.
Pilots must prioritize safety by regularly checking carbon monoxide detectors, being aware of hypothermia risks, and employing proper de-icing/defrosting techniques to maintain aircraft integrity and personal well-being.
Comprehensive weather briefings extending beyond the immediate flight area are crucial, along with having contingency plans for rapidly changing winter conditions and being prepared for longer post-flight procedures.

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Living in a latitude farther from the equator may mean more seasonal weather, but it doesn’t mean that you’re grounded. Given an adequate ceiling, visibility, and some instructor creativity, it is possible to continue flight training in the winter months, as long as you are adept at reading and understanding a forecast, and able to recognize potentially hazardous situations.

This Article First Appeared in FLYING Magazine

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Meg Godlewski

Meg Godlewski has been an aviation journalist for more than 24 years and a CFI for more than 20 years. If she is not flying or teaching aviation, she is writing about it. Meg is a founding member of the Pilot Proficiency Center at EAA AirVenture and excels at the application of simulation technology to flatten the learning curve. Follow Meg on Twitter @2Lewski.