A small winter flying report

[Rich]

So - It's been unseasonably cold here in the NW. I needed to make a trip down to Prineville, OR to check on our property there. Recent local temps there have been recorded as low as -18F, with considerable, unusually persistent snow and ice all over the place. Even here on the island and roundabout the overnight temps have been in the 20's.

Since the flying weather has been CAVU, rather than drive 400 miles each way over the cascades, with all manner of snow and ice, accidents and traffic snarls along the route, I flew the Star down there Monday and returned this morning. About 2 hours each way, with no concerns about road conditions and with weather aloft no factor at all. Saved me 8-10 hours of driving, often in marginal road surface conditions. Instead the autopilot takes me along the route, both ways, without a hitch. I mostly manage the flight, rather than actually manipulate.

Something worthy of note. While the air over most of the country on the surface is abnormally cold, the air aloft is reasonably warm - at least over the route I flew. Example: Took off from S39 with the surface temp at -3C, by the time I hit 1500 ft. AGL it was +1 C and I flew back mostly at 8500 ft, with OAT at +5 C. While this cold air mass sits over the major part of the country, its major effect may be limited to lower altitudes. Multiple layers of temperature inversions seem to exist.

The biggest challenge of the trip was having to weave around snow-berms lining the taxiways at S39. Snow piled high enough to be of concern with our somewhat abnormal wide and low wings.

[Antoine]

Wonderful isn't it?
We are so incredibly lucky - just think of the percentage of humanity we represent...
I am thankful for this gift from life and thoroughly enjoy each and every flight.
Especially when I get to race through cloud tunnels into glorious blue sky much like a race car lost downtown.

On the topic of taxiing in snowy areas. The wing span and wheel track of the DA40 can be extremely unforgiving.
I was once taxiing and the pile of snow uncomfortably near my right wingtip caught my attention for a second too long.
The taxiway was sloping upwards and also was slightly tilted to the left.
The plane just barely left centerline, enough for the left main wheel to contact snow. The plane instantly pivoted left and I was fortunate enough to kill the engine before the prop could touch the snow and ice piled there.

It was a very cold day, but I sweated a lot.