Keeping cool
#2
Disinterested Third Party
Joined APC: Jun 2012
Posts: 6,265
Holding the door open is the most practical.
I've used the bandanas with the gel in them that hold water; you can find them at home depot or walmart. I sent a case of them to my son when his unit was deployed in the middle east. The idea is that you soak them, they absorb water, and it cools you as it evaporates.
Having spent a ridiculous amount of hours and years in greenhouse canopy cockpits that don't cool well or cool at all, in the middle of summer, with helmet, flight suit, boots, gloves and gear on, I learned to carry a rag to wipe sweat out of my eyes, and to carry plenty of extra water and gatoraid. Hydrate more than you think and force yourself to drink water.
I've gone eight hours in the cockpit without ever needing to urinate, while drinking water continuously, and ended the day with a flight suit white with salt stains from sweat. Even forcing water it's evident I wasn't getting enough: you'll need more than you think at times.
If you're just going out for an hour or two for flight training, pick the cooler parts of the day, when it's calmer anyway, and enjoy those. Night flight is relaxing and often quieter with less traffic, which means that you can sometimes get more done.
I've used the bandanas with the gel in them that hold water; you can find them at home depot or walmart. I sent a case of them to my son when his unit was deployed in the middle east. The idea is that you soak them, they absorb water, and it cools you as it evaporates.
Having spent a ridiculous amount of hours and years in greenhouse canopy cockpits that don't cool well or cool at all, in the middle of summer, with helmet, flight suit, boots, gloves and gear on, I learned to carry a rag to wipe sweat out of my eyes, and to carry plenty of extra water and gatoraid. Hydrate more than you think and force yourself to drink water.
I've gone eight hours in the cockpit without ever needing to urinate, while drinking water continuously, and ended the day with a flight suit white with salt stains from sweat. Even forcing water it's evident I wasn't getting enough: you'll need more than you think at times.
If you're just going out for an hour or two for flight training, pick the cooler parts of the day, when it's calmer anyway, and enjoy those. Night flight is relaxing and often quieter with less traffic, which means that you can sometimes get more done.
#4
I used to own/fly in MS, PA-28. As posted, keep the door open until takeoff, then go high as able. Drink lots of water, I’ve never been big on performance sapping, A/C air conditioning systems.
Fly towards evening or earlier morning.
Fly towards evening or earlier morning.
#6
Fly higher too. Getting a few thousand feet higher where the air is much cooler can provide much more relief. Sometimes the piston guys seem very apprehensive about going up more than 3-4K, and at low level in the summer in a hot climate, you just get beat to hell in miserable heat when you stay low. I know it doesn't help with the ground, but it makes it easier as an entire flight. I also would never choose to fly out of somewhere like PHX, Texas, etc., for this reason. Just too oppressive in the summer IMO.
#7
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Feb 2013
Posts: 132
I don't miss the days of training students in a DA40 during the summer.
https://www.arcticaircooler.com/
Check out these coolers. It's a small investment but they work great. My friend has a Cherokee and swears the cooler works better than his plane's factory air conditioning.
https://www.arcticaircooler.com/
Check out these coolers. It's a small investment but they work great. My friend has a Cherokee and swears the cooler works better than his plane's factory air conditioning.
#8
Disinterested Third Party
Joined APC: Jun 2012
Posts: 6,265
I don't miss the days of training students in a DA40 during the summer.
https://www.arcticaircooler.com/
Check out these coolers. It's a small investment but they work great. My friend has a Cherokee and swears the cooler works better than his plane's factory air conditioning.
https://www.arcticaircooler.com/
Check out these coolers. It's a small investment but they work great. My friend has a Cherokee and swears the cooler works better than his plane's factory air conditioning.
Except that Phoenix is one of the busiest and most active flight training locations in the country, and where several airlines choose to base their ab-initio flight training, and where dozens of others their contracted flight training. The weather permits training nearly every day, year-round. It also means that much of the flight training must be done at lower altitudes for ground reference pattern work, etc. Nature of the beast.
#9
Banned
Joined APC: Jan 2008
Position: Pilot
Posts: 2,625
I don't miss the days of training students in a DA40 during the summer.
https://www.arcticaircooler.com/
Check out these coolers. It's a small investment but they work great. My friend has a Cherokee and swears the cooler works better than his plane's factory air conditioning.
https://www.arcticaircooler.com/
Check out these coolers. It's a small investment but they work great. My friend has a Cherokee and swears the cooler works better than his plane's factory air conditioning.
#10
Except that Phoenix is one of the busiest and most active flight training locations in the country, and where several airlines choose to base their ab-initio flight training, and where dozens of others their contracted flight training. The weather permits training nearly every day, year-round. It also means that much of the flight training must be done at lower altitudes for ground reference pattern work, etc. Nature of the beast.
I've used those ice-cooler things extensively and they do work, but they are kind of a PITA due to having to load them up with ice and then they start to crap out after what seems like not a long while, so they are most effective at the beginning of a flight, such as to get off the ground and up to a reasonable altitude. For my own plane, no way, I'd minimize time on the ground and just deal with it till I get high enough and I'd never fly low where it's terrible and hot in the summer. For flight training...maybe. It's not good enough where it's a solid win IME.
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