Merry Christmas everyone! I’m sure by now, everyone has sent their wish list to Santa and is eagerly awaiting the thrill of unwrapping that new tool, plan set or even a new kit plane (I sent Dad a new kit floatplane for Christmas… OK, it was a LEGO kitplane).

If you’re like me, you’ve dog-eared the Aircraft Spruce and Aircraft Tool & Supply catalogs and circled the appropriate items; then left them in strategic locations around the house where they are sure to be found. Sometimes, it’s useful to “accidentally” cc. certain loved ones when sending email to a buddy (aka. Wingman) with the particulars of a desired part, tool or other aviation item, being sure to include the part number and exact web page to order from.

To be serious though, the only thing I really want for Christmas it some spare time to spend building the Buttercup and flying Chrissy. The past couple of years have been pretty tough on my spare time and I just never seem to have the opportunity to do the things I love.

I’m now three weeks into the new teaching position at SAIT (about 1297 weeks to go before retirement, but who’s counting ) and I’m really loving it. I have one major job to complete with Beanlands Aviation Ltd. (which I should finish this week) and I can pull the plug on the business. Then, I should have the spare time I’m craving!

I’m getting really excited to dig back into the Buttercup project. I’m even looking ahead to the next project; but then again, who isn’t. Even Stu Simpson, who has proclaimed on numerous occasions that he won’t build another plane, keeps taking on plane projects. The Cav is now sporting new wheels, brakes and axles and even had wheel pants on (briefly). I think Stu is looking for even more power (RRR RRR RRR) with talk of going with an O-320!

Of course, I’ve been keeping tabs on Troy Branch’s latest project and feel nothing but SHAME! There’s no excuse for not having the Buttercup flying when I see the progress that he’s made in just a few short months. He’s already got the plane at the airport and has been taxiing it around the field. The last update I heard is that he’s waiting on the MD-RA to approve the Just Aircraft SuperSTOL and issue the Special Certificate of Airworthiness. I hear that he plans to fly it like he STOL it (I crack me up!).

I, on the other hand, have no progress to report this month, although I did get in a short flight yesterday morning. With news that the runway was cleared, and the winds were calm, I headed out for a short flight before heading to Okotoks to finish that last BAL project plane. All I can say is that I LOVE winter flying!!

As I arrived back at the field, Glenn Bishell and Mike Sweere were just getting geared up to head out themselves and meet up with Stu Simpson. It sounds like they also had a great afternoon of flying.

Of course, with all this winter flying going on (and it isn’t even technically winter yet), I just thought I’d spend a little time talking about winter flying precautions. I won’t dwell too much on the condition of the aircraft, obviously they should always be in peak shape whenever you fly. I will mention a couple of points though.

First, be sure to provide an adequate amount of preheating. You can usually find instructions and limits for preheating in your engine operating handbook. If you decide to use a gas style heater, be very careful. More than one aircraft has been burned to the ground with their use. The safest way is with the use of an electric preheater, like the ones supplied by Tanis. Of course, that also requires electricity in the hanger.

The second thing to watch out for in the winter is tire pressure. Every fall, when the temperatures drop below 0ºC, I notice a large drop in tire pressure (6-8 PSI on a 21 PSI tire). Underinflated tires tend to wear much quicker, roll a lot slower and may not be noticeable to the naked eye. They should be checked at the beginning of your day of flying.

Another thing to be concerned about is your clothes. You should always wear clothing appropriate with hiking in the current weather conditions. My yardstick is to wear clothing that I could survive a night outdoors in. It’s not just enough to have the clothing in the plane, it should also be worn. If you’re injured in an accident, you may not be able to dig around through the wreckage looking for your parka!

Finally, be sure that you have an appropriate survival kit on board the plane. It should have equipment adequate for you and your passengers for 3-4 days. Remember, not only could it save your life, it may also save you from a Transport Canada infraction… survival kits are required to be on board your plane appropriate to the terrain and climatic conditions!

I hope everyone has a safe and fun Christmas and I look forward to seeing you all Wednesday night!