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I had to do some flying the other day when it the temp was right at the freezing point. No heat in the airplane and my phone hanging out where I could use it. I learned the touch screen on my iPhone doesn't respond well to cold temps but it does better than either of my portable Garmin GPS units. Has anyone in here had a chance to fly the current crop of aircraft mounted touch screens and other glass cockpit gizmos in the colder temps?
I’m flying I’m Erie, PA. My work ride is an Airbus H135. We’ve got dual 430s installed. In cold temps, the screen tends to take an excessive ti,e to heat up. We get a lot of vertical lines that interfere with the use of it. Usually takes 15 mins to warm up and be useful. I use my iPad with The Tripacer. About the only issue I have with it or my iPhone is the rate st which the cold sucks my battery life.
I have a ASPEN PFD and a GARMIN 430w in the Pacer. I have been flying with the ASPEN for over two years and never had any issues with cold temperatures (I do fly when the temp is in the 10s on the ground). The 430w was just installed, so I will find out this winter.
Can't relate since moving to Merritt Island Florida. Temps in the low 80's during the day but getting into the mid-50's at night, so pretty brisk here now... my iPad works fine.
-Subsonic
PS. Hoping people still have a sense of humor...
Installed Tanis engine and cockpit heater.. the cabin heater is STC’d and is a permanent install.
AND!! When I’m out and about in the cold...on a snowmachine...the Garmin e-trex gets left at home... can’t get lost using my Cub Scout compass. Digital displays fail...even when kept against skin..pull it out...try to get orientated...phbbt! Screen goes to shet.
My experience has been quite different than the posts here. I fly a GRT Mini X, use an IPad and IPhone and haven’t experienced any malfunctions yet. While Platinum is way colder than the Kenai (Alaska), I have been out on -10 to -20 degree F days. I do pre-heat the cabin, mostly the windshield (and obviously the engine). Only been down to the teens so far this winter though. Also, it is not uncommon on those cold days to have a massive temperature inversion, so even -10 on the ground may be +20 at 1000’
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"If you do something; something else will happen. Don't wiggle the controls" Jim Alsip; EAA Webinar Oct 2015
I saw 200F on my oil temp climbing through 1,500 feet two days ago: oil cooler cover on and 21F on the ground. Dropped down to the tree tops and back to normal. Inversions have caused people to do silly things that hurt. I really should get an OAT for the Batplane.
Long ago I put my GPS away and forced myself to learn to pay attention to where I was and to use the compass. I am a DG user out of habit and mine has a heading bug. Lucky for me the old thing barely processes at all.
None of the aircraft I fly have gyros except one with an electric turn coordinator. What I learned when exploring options for my Thorp is that it can be a lot cheaper to equip with glass than with gyros but, in addition to functionality, I also wonder if the same glass components will still be working and be supported 40+ years from now like the steam gauges and gyros already 40+ years old will be. I am thinking “no”.