Too hot to fly

[red750]

It's so hot in the US planes can't leave the ground

[Downunder]

And I was just reading about the "horrific" summer in England too.

 

The straw hats and parasols were on display as the temperature was set to reach 33 degrees Celsius.

 

Britain hasn't had a spell of weather this hot, for this long, since 1976.

 

 

 

.....LOL

 

 

[onetrack]

I really feel for the ground staff in that kind of heat. Uncovered asphalt and concrete surfaces are heat magnets, and the heat reflection is horrendous.

 

I've worked in 48 deg C heat, on the ground, all day, in Marble Bar, and in the North Eastern Goldfields, and I can tell you, it fairly makes you wilt.

 

Your water consumption become enormous (8L-10L a day) and it's very easy to become dehydrated, as by the time you start feeling thirsty, you're already starting to become dehydrated.

 

Heat like that, always brings to mind for me, Vic Courtneys poem ....

 

"The Man from Marble Bar"

 

Satan sat by the fires of Hell

 

As from endless time he’s sat,

 

And he sniffed great draughts of the brimstone’s smell

 

That came as the tongue-flames spat;

 

Then all at once the devil looked stern

 

For there in the depths of Hell,

 

Was a fellow whom never a flame could burn

 

Or goad to an anguished yell;

 

So Satan stalked to the lonely scene,

 

And growled with a stormy brow,

 

‘Now, stranger, tell me what does this mean?

 

You should be well scorched by now!’

 

But the chappie replied with a laugh quite new;

 

‘This place is too cold by far!

 

Just chuck on an extra log or two!

 

I’ve just come in from Marble Bar!

 

 

[Yenn]

The Victa airtourer was grounded at 30 plus degrees. Having flown one out of Whyalla before the grounding I can understand why. I used to wonder sometimes if the trip would be long enough. Once you got above about 30' it seemed much cooler and away you went. More or less reverse ground effect.

 

 

[Steve L]

Thats interesting about the Airtourer Yenn. What engine did it have. I operate the Bulldog which I thought had similar performance as the Victa.

 

The year before last I flew to Temora's Warbirds Downunder airshow. Some may remember how hot and windy it was there at the time, high 40s. and high gusting winds. Landing at Griffith for fuel was very challenging, our 3 ipads crashed which made me navigate manually but the Bulldog performed flawlessly.

 

Onetrack, I have spent a lot of time at Woody Woody, Telfer and Marble Bar working from the early 70s till just recently and have encountered

 

50 + deg on many occasions so I know how hot it gets there. Good place to get accustomed to the heat.

 

 

[pmccarthy]

I flew Airtourers at high Broken Hill temperatures. It is true that the AT 100 could barely get off the ground two up on a hot day, the 115 was OK.

 

 

[Yenn]

It was the 100 engine, not the 115. Just not quite enough oomph. Nice aircraft otherwise and one of the very few that could lift its own weight. I remember in strong thermals that one minute I was going up at about 2000' per min and reduced throttle, next i was full power, best climb speed and going down equally as fast.

 

 

[pmccarthy]

Another Broken Hill experience was a PA28-R 180 HP Arrow four up on a hot day. Barely cleared the fence. The gear wouldn't retract because it had auto activate at low airspeed. When the nose went up, the gear came down again and spoiled the lift. Most of the circuit was completed at about 100 feet, some slow flatish skidding turns, and very happy to be back on the ground. More than 40 years ago!