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2 Answers

Flight Training below 5 deg F?

Asked by: 2506 views , ,
Aircraft Systems, Student Pilot, Weather

The flight school I use discourages flight training when the temperatures go below 5 deg F. They have an engine preheater on the C150 I use, and the concern doesn't seem to be with starting the engine, as much as it is with temperature changes while doing pattern and stall work.  Their particular concerns are increased wear and tear, including risks of cold soaking the engine. 

Is this a valid concern, or is it a misconception? Is going from full throttle to descent/idle throttle over 10 minutes enough pressure/temperature change to cause issues inside the engine? Is there a concern that the carb heat cannot melt any ice that has formed quickly enough and what does that mean to wear and tear of the engine?

How do other flight schools in other cold areas (e.g. North Dakota, Canada) handle this situation?

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2 Answers



  1. Kris Kortokrax on Feb 23, 2015

    There is no such thing as cold soaking the engine.

    Cold soaking is a term used mainly with aircraft icing. An aircraft flying in the flight levels at -50 C or so, descends into warmer air where it encounters precipitation. The precipitation will freeze on the airframe because its temperature is still well below freezing.

    They may be alluding to the old wive’s tale concerning “shock cooling” the engine. There is a good article concerning this at:

    http://www.avweb.com/news/maint/182883-1.html?redirected=1

    Bottom line: It is their aircraft and if they don’t want it operated below 5 F, you have to go along with them.

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  2. Gary S. on Mar 04, 2015

    Jennifer, their concern about damaging an engine when starting it below about +20F without heating is a valid one. Some POH instructions warn of this. Check with a Cessna dealership and their mechanic…see what they say. If they don’t have a ready-made answer they can get one from Wichita.

    When flying in extreme conditions keep a close eye on the temperature gauges. Where I live it’s not the cold we have to watch it’s the heat which can also destroy a powerplant.

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