I spent a number of years in AK and although where I lived in W AK the temperatures seldom got crazy cold, the killer was the wind chill, since the winds blew out there constantly. I layered up pretty good with down and topped it off with a pair of car hart cold weather coveralls and a beaver fur hat with flaps that protected the ears and most of my face and bunny boots...I stayed fairly warm, even when I was riding sno-go's in -30-35F with lower wind chills.
I owned a plane at the time and about the coldest I would fly in was around -20. I had a heavy duty engine cover and if electricity was available where I landed, I would cover the engine and put my electric fan heater under the cowling to keep the engine and oil warm. If no electricity, I wouldn't stay put long enough for the engine to get cold.
I never did, but many stories of old timer pilots who would drain the oil out upon landing into a bucket, leave it sitting on a stove overnight, dump it back in warm the next morning and be on their way.
I don't remember all the commercial bush pilots I either knew or were acquainted with that ended up dead due to, ultimately, bad judgement due to inexperience!
Last edited by Cameron; 05/20/17 03:27 PM.
