You’ve probably noticed it’s gotten pretty cold and unfriendly outside. That only means it’s time for the winter duds. Did you ever think how cool it would be to fly from the snow? Get some skis, dress warmly, and go flying! I like the DuBro line of skis because they have a good torque rod set up to keep them at the proper angle to the airplane. The proper angle means the front of the skis is higher than the back with respect to the airplane fuselage. This means when you land, the skis won’t dig in and flip the airplane.

     There are other commercial skis out there so don’t hesitate to use them. Look for a sturdy spring system to keep the skis at the proper angle. Also, look for a reliable way to put the skis on the landing gear. If there are several inches of snow, don’t think dressing for cold weather will keep you warm for hours. Waterproof boots, double socks, and long underwear are needed. Hunters already know this. If your flying field has a heated shed, that is the best way to keep warm. You can run out and fly for 15 minutes, then run back inside to warm up.

     If you have floats, you’ll find that flying off snow with them is easier than flying off water. Snow can be an abrasive, so if your floats are painted, using them on snow may require another coat of paint later. I wouldn’t use molded fiberglass floats in the cold as the material gets brittle. Plastic floats work great, such as the ones made by GeeBee Products. Taking off and landing on snow is as easy (or as hard) as doing it on grass, and it is often much prettier.