outside preheats

My question isn’t really specific to SR20s but here goes…

I’m gonna have to end up parking my SR20 outside rather than in a hangar, since hangars are unavailable at nearby airports. However, I live near Washington DC and so I expect there will be some days in the winter for which a preheat would be desirable before starting the engine.

It seems to me there’s not too many choices here; namely:

  1. get a hot-air-blowing type preheat from the FBO – I suppose it’s okay but seems like that’s not the best way to preheat for optimal engine life

  2. get a tanis/reiff type preheat system and then run a portable generator to power it for the several hours it takes to heat the engine – doesn’t really seem practical.

Since this is my 1st airplane purchase, and since this is also my first winter in the DC area (having moved this summer from the SF Bay Area), I am looking for suggestions as to what other people do to preheat their airplane’s engine when a hangar, and thus electric power, is not available?

Thanks!!

Steve

My question isn’t really specific to SR20s but here goes…

I’m gonna have to end up parking my SR20 outside rather than in a hangar, since hangars are unavailable at nearby airports. However, I live near Washington DC and so I expect there will be some days in the winter for which a preheat would be desirable before starting the engine.

It seems to me there’s not too many choices here; namely:

  1. get a hot-air-blowing type preheat from the FBO – I suppose it’s okay but seems like that’s not the best way to preheat for optimal engine life
  1. get a tanis/reiff type preheat system and then run a portable generator to power it for the several hours it takes to heat the engine – doesn’t really seem practical.

Since this is my 1st airplane purchase, and since this is also my first winter in the DC area (having moved this summer from the SF Bay Area), I am looking for suggestions as to what other people do to preheat their airplane’s engine when a hangar, and thus electric power, is not available?

Hello Steve,

I have a hangar in HEF Manassas. I am out of town now, but drop me a note here pilot4hire@bigfoot.com

Take care,

Woor

SR22 coming

Thanks!!

Steve

Hi Steve,

I keep my Cherokee outside at BJC near Denver and have had good results with the Red Dragon propane preheater. There is no electricity available to the tie-downs so the engine block heaters are not an option for me.

You can buy the Red Dragon from Aircraft Spruce for $285.

I’ve had mine for six years and it’s never needed

any service. I use a 2 1/2 gal. propane tank for preheats at my home field and use the throw-away propane bottles for preheats away from home.

Northern Pilot Magazine had a long article on preheaters in the Feb/March 2000 issue. Maybe you can get a copy from them? 888/477-4568

Good luck.

Bert

  1. get a tanis/reiff type preheat system and then run a portable generator to power it for the several hours it takes to heat the engine – doesn’t really seem practical.

Since this is my 1st airplane purchase, and since this is also my first winter in the DC area (having moved this summer from the SF Bay Area), I am looking for suggestions as to what other people do to preheat their airplane’s engine when a hangar, and thus electric power, is not available?

Steve,

For what it’s worth, our system will raise your engine’s temp about 80-90 deg F over ambient if the cowling is well covered. It takes about 8 hrs to get that, but half the gain occurs in the first 2 hrs. In your area a 2 hr preheat with 40 deg rise should be sufficient most of the time. Some of our customers in Alaska and Canada operate in remote areas and carry a small generator with them in the airplane. Honda makes one that’s very small and lightweight.

Regards, Bob

PS - and you can also add extra heating elements to speed up the heating.