Winter Flying - Staying Warm?

[montana_jim]

How well does the Kitfox do in terms of staying warm for winter flying? Or what is your preferred winter flying attire?

Thanks In Advance! - Jim

[N82HB]

My IV has the water heater with the blower and it works well. I am surprised how little I bundle up. I had a Kitfox III before that did not have a heater at all, as long as the sun was out a little it was always warm enough. Very surprisely!

My winter temps are in the low twenties for the norm.
Kelly

[kitfox2009]

I will be trying out my Model 5 on the weekend. It is -10 here now so it could be a good test for my cabin heater!! Will advise later.

Don

[kitfox2009]

That is -10 C not F.

[akflyer]

I built a heat muff for my exhaust and it keeps me nice and warm and the windshield clear at -30F. Well, Warm is a relative term at that point. It is warm enough that I can fly with just thin cotton gloves and be comfortable. My normal gear at those temps are fleece bottoms and tops and my Klim jacket and pants with good boots. I wear what ever I plan on crashing with!

The heat muff takes about 50 bucks in materials (if that) and about 2 hrs to make and install.

[Av8r3400]

I have a heater core behind the panel that is the size of two computer fans. I tape over 1/2 of my air scoop on the main radiator which will keep the motor running at 180-210°. (see the photo below) With this setup, I can fly all winter without gloves on and jacket unzipped.

I do have a strange situation where cold air comes up from the tail, so a hood or warm collar to keep this air from going down the back of my neck...

[t j]

Just keeping this thread alive. I don't have any answers but would like to hear more Ideas. I built three different exhaust muff heaters over the years and none of them worked. They were all dog breath heaters. About as warm as a dog breathing on me.

My engine is air cooled so now I am considering an electric heated vest like motorcycle riders use.

[Av8r3400]

tj-- What motor are you using? With your previous "muff" designs, was the problem heat temperature or lack of airflow?

[t j]

tj-- What motor are you using? With your previous "muff" designs, was the problem heat temperature or lack of airflow?

The engine is a 503 Rotax. It seems to be lack of heat. I got good air flow using a scat tube routed from the nose and another one I built a scoop to catch air coming into the nose. I tried filling the muff with stainless pot scrubbers too. My theory is the 503 exhaust just doesn't get hot enough.

I tried routing the hot air off the engine fan cowl but that messed with my cylinder head temperatures. They were quite uneven. I see a factory built 503 cabin heater in Aircraft Spruce http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/fbpages/FB503cabinHeater.php but it looks too big in diameter to fit on top of this engine in a kitfox cowl. The ducting looks to be about 6 inch diameter too. That would take a large hole in the firewall. Don't want that.

My walls coveralls and the sun were my heater last winter. That cuts down my flying to sunny days only.

[Dorsal]

"I do have a strange situation where cold air comes up from the tail, so a hood or warm collar to keep this air from going down the back of my neck..."

I have the same problem and am thinking of closing off the back with a canvas/nylon? separator from the top of the seat to the rear cross-over tube. Might have to sew a window into it so nobody sneaks up on my 6. Other than that the cabin heater works fairly well, last flight OAT in the mid 20s.

Also looking into the cell-phone activated switches for an engine pre-heater, if anyone has experience with these please chime in.

[jsimmo97]

Folks.... needing some help with m Kitfox IV 582. The prior owner had a heater core installed in the cabin and I'd like to hook it back up. Question? Does it matter where you tap into the coolant system for both inlet and outlet to the heater core? If so, can you detail what the best setup is for max heat and maybe even add some pics of the engine-side setup not the heater core itself.

Thanks!

~Jason
Austin, Tx