Our winter flying experience has shown us that the rules of the game still apply, only more so.
The pre-flight walk-around took on added importance because of ice and possible damage from flying debris. Every time the aircraft rolled through a wet area on the field, there seemed to be more ice droplets present on the fuselage and horizontal stabilizer. We kept a close watch for this eventuality, and tried to keep all surfaces clear of ice. Also of particular concern was icing of the C of G Tost hook. Because of impairment to the back release function, the hook received frequent and close attention.
We also discovered that a winter runway surface was not nearly as flexible as a summer surface. Even after a fully held-off landing, rolling to a stop was a rough, noisy, disconcerting experience. During the roll, bits and pieces of the field surface broke away, and could be heard thumping on the aircraft. We never did find any damage, but we continued to look for it just the same.
As previously mentioned, cockpit checks were done with care. Also, several launches were delayed because of frost build-up on the canopy. We got around this problem by leaving the canopy open until just before hook-up. And, we didn't hook up until we knew the winch was warmed up and ready.
We flew dual, mostly. Each day began with the 2 most current pilots doing several flights together. This was followed by these pilots going with the others who weren't quite so current. By the end of the day, everyone had had several flights, both as P1 and P2, and went home satisfied.
But, most importantly, the Bluenose Soaring Club began the 1994 regular season with a core of seasoned pilots eager to continue their fun in the warmer weather. We got off to a running start, and we haven't looked back.
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