Winter flying

If you're new to combat, you probably have a bunch of question. Check here first, 'cuz its most likely been asked before. (..and there's no such thing as a stupid question).

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ZenManiac
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Winter flying

Post by ZenManiac »

So my local flying club ran the following article in the December newsletter:

<font color="maroon"><b>Rubber Bands Don’t Hold in the Cold</b>
This is probably one that many don’t know about, but a temperature of anything below 40° is too cold for rubber bands. I’ve experienced it personally and it’s not a good feeling watching the wing separate from the fuselage as you’re flying across the field. Actually you stare at the wing because it flutters slowly down like a leaf, while all of the important stuff in the fuselage does a kamikaze dive into the woods. So keep those models where the wing or anything else is held on by rubber bands home when it’s cold. This holds true for glow and electric models. After all, rubber bands are rubber bands.
— by Larry Dudkowski
Plane Talk, Prop Masters newsletter</font id="maroon">

My question is this - it makes sense, but has advice like this kept any of you from flying in the winter? (Texas and Florida pilots need not reply, especially if you're going to go "nya, nya, nya nya, nya" [8D]). I've flown many times w/o a problem - if this was an issue, I would think sites would have club rules about it...
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Air Scharnell
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Post by Air Scharnell »

I saw a New E3696 P40 fly with rubber bands .......
It was 20 deg Blue skys with snow covered ball fields [8D]

He flew it twice with no problems.
sgilkey
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Post by sgilkey »

If 40 degrees is too cold for rubber I need to get some different tires for my car, but I don't know what they'll be made of?? I've never thought of this before but I have done a fair amount of test flying in the cold (ie down to maybe upper 20s) and never had a problem. I'll certainly keep this in mind though and be sure and put on plenty of rubbers!
Rabbit Leader
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Post by Rabbit Leader »

I've flow models in 100+ temperatures, and in the 20's in Texas-(yes, it does get cold in North Texas, 75 one day, 28 the next) And I've flown in Germany in the winter. I've never had a problem with the crepe colored rubber bands in any case.

Cash
Hat Trick
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Post by Hat Trick »

I've flown in very cold weather with rubber bands also. They're probably weaker but I always use a lot anyway!
Lee Liddle
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Post by Lee Liddle »

Maybe they need to use more that two rubberbands when they fly. $&%&&&$#(^ sport fliers***^&^$$#
ZenManiac
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Post by ZenManiac »

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Hat Trick</i>
<br />I've flown in very cold weather with rubber bands also. They're probably weaker but I always use a lot anyway!
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

<font size="2">Yeah, I've seen your planes, Mike. I think you induce several degrees of dihedral with all the rubber bands you use! [:D]</font id="size2">
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boiler
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Post by boiler »

Never had a problem here in Northern Ohio. Flown on Jan 1st when it was about 20 degrees or less.
drewjet
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Post by drewjet »

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by ZenManiac</i>
(Texas and Florida pilots need not reply, especially if you're going to go "nya, nya, nya nya, nya" [8D]).<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Oh come on one "nya, nya, nya, nya, nya" Couldn't realy hurt. I mean it is dropping down to 59 tonight. I think I better get my "Heavy winter jacket" out.

<b><font color="red"><font size="6">"nya, nya, nya, nya, nya"</font id="size6"></font id="red"></b>
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Bill Geipel
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Post by Bill Geipel »

I haven't noticed problems with the cold affecting the rubberbands but the elastic band in my underwear loosens in cold weather or if I stand in the walk-in beer cooler at the grocery store.
ZenManiac
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Post by ZenManiac »

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Bill Geipel</i>
<br />I haven't noticed problems with the cold affecting the rubberbands but the elastic band in my underwear loosens in cold weather or if I stand in the walk-in beer cooler at the grocery store.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
<font size="2">Bill, you're supposed to buy the beer and drink it at home, not at the store. [:o)]</font id="size2">
wing nut
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Post by wing nut »

We've flown many rounds of combat in northern WI during the winter, along with a bunch of sport stuff. Frozen lakes make terrific runways. In fact, we have one event that's a combination ice fishing / fun fly event. I've never seen rubber bands fail, so I believe they're good down to zero at least. However, if anyone finds out that the rubber fails in the cold, please don't tell us....
Hat Trick
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Post by Hat Trick »

We used to think about kicking off the season by having an event down south where its warm. We've been thinking about it all wrong! I bet we can get the pilots flocking to WI for the very first event of the season if we combine it with ice fishing! Why haven't we heard about this before Doug!
ZenManiac
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Post by ZenManiac »

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Hat Trick</i>
<br />We used to think about kicking off the season by having an event down south where its warm. We've been thinking about it all wrong! I bet we can get the pilots flocking to WI for the very first event of the season if we combine it with ice fishing! Why haven't we heard about this before Doug!
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
<font size="2">I agree! Instead of going for the balloons at the end of the combat round, we should try to snag the tip-ups! (inside joke for northerns, no appologies to Drewjet! [^])</font id="size2">
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