Potpourri

By the time you read this, itll be late September or early October. In some regions of the U.S., that means leaves changing color, frost on the pumpkin and winterizing the house, the vehicles and the airplane. In other regions, like where I am, it means shutting off the air conditioning, opening the windows and putting a final close cut on the yard. Cooler, better flying weather, along with some seasonal challenges, likely will confront us all soon.

Editorial Staff

Sunday, September 23, 2018 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

The article advises pilots to prepare for seasonal aviation challenges, including aircraft winterization, managing enhanced performance from colder, denser air, and mitigating significant risks like airframe icing and frozen precipitation.
It raises serious questions and concerns regarding the Piston Aviation Fuels Initiative (PAFI), highlighting significant delays, lack of transparency, and the uncertain future of developing and implementing unleaded aviation fuel.

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By the time you read this, it’ll be late September or early October. In some regions of the U.S., that means leaves changing color, frost on the pumpkin and winterizing the house, the vehicles and the airplane. In other regions, like where I am, it means shutting off the air conditioning, opening the windows and putting a final close cut on the yard. Cooler, better flying weather, along with some seasonal challenges, likely will confront us all soon.

For many, it may mean installing a winterization kit on the airplane’s engine, to help keep the oil and cylinders warm at low power settings. It also could mean installing new door or window gaskets to keep out the coming cold air, or even switching floats for skis. For those parking their airplane outside, it may also mean a few trips to the airport to sweep off snow before it freezes and hardens, making removal more of a chore.