Buckaroo Posted December 15, 2016 Author Report Share Posted December 15, 2016 I've decided not to fly her until we're in the mid 20's. I don't want to be the first Rotax test pilot to find out weird things happen with all that rubber at zero and below!???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Lee Posted December 15, 2016 Report Share Posted December 15, 2016 Flying in lower OAT's isn't an issue. Put a Tanis preheater on it and a Switch-Box, run it for 6 hours before the day's flight and go have fun. The temp isn't a big deal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckaroo Posted December 15, 2016 Author Report Share Posted December 15, 2016 That's encouraging to know she can handle it if needed! Question? In Alaska bush piloting are Rotax 912 series popular or is the majority Lic and Cont? If they are what make of plane? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyingMonkey Posted December 15, 2016 Report Share Posted December 15, 2016 I think your CT can handle whatever temps you throw at it (with proper radiator taping!)...here's a guy who flies his in winter in Norway: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nECzR77QAq0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckaroo Posted December 15, 2016 Author Report Share Posted December 15, 2016 I'll bet he knows the snow compactness real well! Neat movie thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Baker Posted December 15, 2016 Report Share Posted December 15, 2016 I remember the guys from Minnesota saying they flew when it was sub zero outside. They stated it wasn't to bad during the day, but got kind of cold at night without the sunlight coming through the windows. If you want to fly in the cold you need to seal up the cockpit, and make sure the heater box is rigged correctly. For the cockpit I would use at least some foam project board to cover the openings to the baggage compartment, and cover all the holes in the wing root and spar carry through with tape. Anything you can do to stop the drafts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckaroo Posted December 15, 2016 Author Report Share Posted December 15, 2016 I covered the rear holes with duc tape. I need to do the front fuel holes with clear tape yet. My main concern originally was engine hoses and extreme cold temps possibly causing an unusual failure of some type. Right now I'm just wish flying as I'm waiting for my CFI check out and biannual. The snows flying and tomorrow night in Helena Mt is going to be 23 below!???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WmInce Posted December 15, 2016 Report Share Posted December 15, 2016 . . . "Right now I'm just wish flying as I'm waiting for my CFI check out and biannual." . . . Are you a CFI? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckaroo Posted December 15, 2016 Author Report Share Posted December 15, 2016 I'm an old CFI who is non current with no medical. My hey day of flying and teaching was in the 70's and 80's. Now at 68 with LSA opportunities I'm coming alive again as a flying enthusiast. I don't want to chance a Flight physical as a failure will kill my LSA. I just purchased a 2007 CTSW a month ago. She's sitting in a heated hanger waiting for me. I did experience about an hour and three landings when delivered the plane. With the weather I'm studying the glass cockpit, auto pilot, systems, gps, Rotax Manuel and just about whatever I can get my hands on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WmInce Posted December 15, 2016 Report Share Posted December 15, 2016 Every year, there is a great CT fly-in, at Page, Arizona. It's a great time to meet other CT (and LSA) enthusiasts and the flying is absolutely awesome. I hope you will consider joining us. Mr. Morden and I attended year before last and are planning on going again next year (October, 2017). . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckaroo Posted December 15, 2016 Author Report Share Posted December 15, 2016 Thanks for the invitation and yes my wife and I would like to fly our bird there and see the sights and meet everyone. I wish there were fellow CT folks near Montana. My airport neighbor used to build RV's and is a Rotax expert but he's snow birding in Texas until May. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandpiper Posted December 16, 2016 Report Share Posted December 16, 2016 Flying in lower OAT's isn't an issue. Put a Tanis preheater on it and a Switch-Box, run it for 6 hours before the day's flight and go have fun. The temp isn't a big deal. Says the man who lives in southern Aridzona !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gbigs Posted December 16, 2016 Report Share Posted December 16, 2016 That's encouraging to know she can handle it if needed! Question? In Alaska bush piloting are Rotax 912 series popular or is the majority Lic and Cont? If they are what make of plane? You many have found this out already but the CT is 'breezy' due to leaks around the wing root and the non insulated cockpit. The higher you fly the colder it gets too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Lee Posted December 16, 2016 Report Share Posted December 16, 2016 Hi John, Come on it was only 80F today. Supposed to get to 55F Saturday. I'll have to wear a coat and drink antifreeze. Did you guys get some of that snow up around Portland? I had my cabin sealed well. I could fly in 0f temps and only wear my short sleeve shirt and jeans. Seal the cabin right and that heater will drive you out of there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckaroo Posted December 16, 2016 Author Report Share Posted December 16, 2016 What product do you seal yours with? I used duct tape on mine in the rear but how's about in front of the spar? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Baker Posted December 16, 2016 Report Share Posted December 16, 2016 You might try a short peice of the black foam pipe insulation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckaroo Posted December 16, 2016 Author Report Share Posted December 16, 2016 Not sure what that is can you advise? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Baker Posted December 16, 2016 Report Share Posted December 16, 2016 Just Google, "black foam pipe insulation". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GravityKnight Posted December 16, 2016 Report Share Posted December 16, 2016 When away from home, you can use Decalin TCP which scavenges the lead from the Avgas and maintain the full synthetic status. https://www.aircraft...ves/Decalin.php I put a small amount in a glass baby bottle to take on trips and only needed to use it about three times. Very little is used for a full wing tankful, about a teaspoonful. Can we talk about this a little more. Not trying to start anything. I'd love to run full synthetic, there are some really great oils that meet the requirements for the gearbox (such as some of the motorcycle oils) But as we know synthetic apparently doesn't trap the lead in the oil properly. I run Decalin, and I believe it is a good thing with 100LL.. but it is my understanding it does not allow you to run 100% full synthetic oil and 100% 100LL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gbigs Posted December 16, 2016 Report Share Posted December 16, 2016 What product do you seal yours with? I used duct tape on mine in the rear but how's about in front of the spar? U-Line tape is used on the outside and it's good to use inside too. Item # S-223 02"X36YD WHITE SAFETY TAPE Duct tape is messy and wears out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gbigs Posted December 16, 2016 Report Share Posted December 16, 2016 Can we talk about this a little more. Not trying to start anything. I'd love to run full synthetic, there are some really great oils that meet the requirements for the gearbox (such as some of the motorcycle oils) But as we know synthetic apparently doesn't trap the lead in the oil properly. I run Decalin, and I believe it is a good thing with 100LL.. but it is my understanding it does not allow you to run 100% full synthetic oil and 100% 100LL. You can run a full synthetic in the Rotax if you use Mogas with or without ethanol no greater than 15% ethanol. You can run 100LL on occassion and scavange the lead with Decalin. The full syn oil for the Rotax is Mobil 1 4T Motorcycle Racing Oil. https://mobiloil.com/en/motor-oils/mobil-1/mobil-1-4t-motorcycle-oil Once you go this route there is no turning back. You can get the oil at Walmart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Lee Posted December 17, 2016 Report Share Posted December 17, 2016 What do you mean by "there is no turning back"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GravityKnight Posted December 17, 2016 Report Share Posted December 17, 2016 You can run a full synthetic in the Rotax if you use Mogas with or without ethanol no greater than 15% ethanol. You can run 100LL on occassion and scavange the lead with Decalin. The full syn oil for the Rotax is Mobil 1 4T Motorcycle Racing Oil. https://mobiloil.com/en/motor-oils/mobil-1/mobil-1-4t-motorcycle-oil Once you go this route there is no turning back. You can get the oil at Walmart. Correct me if I'm wrong - might have read what you posted wrong... But you stated that running decalin allows you the use of 100% synthetic with low lead in that original post. Now you are stating 'on occasion' which I would agree with. I didn't want the OP or anyone else getting misinformation and thinking they could run full synthetic and avgas all the time w/ decalin. If you had let's say a 50/50 mix of sport+ 4 and synthetic, you could run less 100LL before needing to change your oil vs. running 100% sport+ 4. If the sport+ 4 is the only oil suspending the lead, you don't have as much to work with before it needs to be changed. This is my understanding. This is a hard scenario to gauge and track, so Rotax states don't bother running 100LL and synehtic (as other manufactures have stated). As your are now changing oil more often and/or taking a chance of building up lead in places you don't want it etc. Also, I don't believe the oil type has anything to do with the ethanol limit on these engines (this isn't fact, this is my opinion after working with high ethanol fuels in other applications). And I know what oils are able to be used with the gearbox (the gearbox is the deciding factor, not the engine itself). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug G. Posted December 17, 2016 Report Share Posted December 17, 2016 Buckaroo and any others new here. There are three types of folks on this site who will give you advice. 1) People like Roger and Tom and a few others that have a great deal of experience working on CTs. 2) People like myself, Andy and a number of others who are certificated as LSRM-A (Repairmen) who work on our own planes and are not as experienced but still have done most things (often with advice from the site wizards. 3) People like gbigs and a number of others who either own or have owned CTs on which they only personally did owner's maintenance and have had everything else done by others. The advice from all three types may be valid, but you don't go wrong listening to the wizards. (Although they do occasionally disagree then you need to do more research and pick a side.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckaroo Posted December 17, 2016 Author Report Share Posted December 17, 2016 I'm getting a feel now for the different personalities on this forum. Roger seems like the guru and the go to guy. I listen and value the experience and input of everyone else as well. I like to throw it out there and sort through the replys and pick the most logical response. I guess we all do this. Roger has done a lot of work on my newly acquired 2007 CTSW. I feel good about that!???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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