We all love to fly, especially in summer when the weather is nice, but at what point do you say "not fun anymore, let's take the jet ski to the lake instead". 100F? 110F? Not thinking of aircraft performance, just personal comfort.

Flew a 172 on pipeline every week all year for ten years. Lots of six hour days at 200' AGL and over 100 degrees for a couple of hours. Landed every two hours for gas and a little break. Started at oh dark thirty and quit by 3 pm when possible. Getting 3500 miles in a week with midwest weather kept me in the heat longer than I liked some weeks. SW desert and mountain lines were not so bad because the weather was a lot better.

I reguarly fly in what you guys would call 125 F when mustering sown here, i rekon flying the drifter on a hot day is the best way to get cool!

That question is very pertinent this week. I was planning on going to Northern Idaho this week but Johnson Creek is expecting upper 98 to 103 several days starting Saturday. Would have to curtail flying very early each day and then bake.

Because of high density altitude and bumpy air, I don't typically fly during the heat of the day. But if it comes to it, taxi and runup are the only times when the heat seems unbearable to me. It always gets better after takeoff, I usually just climb a little higher and my destination is almost always on water that I will end up cooling off in on a hot day.

I'm fortunate that I don't live or fly often where the humidity is 98% or the temperature reaches 117 degrees. It's supposed to be 105 here this weekend, and I'm planning a few flights, but they will be early AM or evening flights.

For years I have been working on fairly luxurious piston and turbine airplanes, and the customers almost always want air conditioning. I've never thought that the weight penalty was worth it, but some folks seem to have a pretty low threshold for discomfort. This is another scenario where my attention deficit disorder works to my advantage. As soon as I get to thinking how uncomfortable I am, I start in on the next thought.

I turn into a slug at anywhere near 90*. Not to mention the 150 I fly, since the DA at the home drone was 10,700 yesterday at 85 degrees. Manageable flying solo but not fun.

Hot days are for playing in the river!

When I was a youngster I worked on a helitack fire crew. If there hadn't been any fire flying in a day we would fly off the contract guarantee two hours patrolling the ranger district. When it got to the hot part of the summer we took the doors off the Hughes 500. I loved those flights when it was hot. It was so cool up in the air. I remember how the heat would then feel like a blast furnace when we got down to about 50 feet AGL when we landed.

Now I'm old and have to pay my own way flying. What I can afford is a Little low powered kitplane that I built and trailer to the airport for each flight. I haven't been flying for a while because the winds have been too much for me. Today it is calm. I thought about going this morning but didn't.

The temperature is 75 F right now but forecast to be 90 today. With all the monkey motion involved in trailering the airplane it would be three hours later by the time my one hour flight was over and the airplane was loaded back on the trailer. It'll probably be 90 F by then. I would like to be up in that cool air for a while but don't want to be out in the hot sun loading the airplane back up. I guess 90 F is my limit. I must be getting too old. My problem is I have too many other interests to be a serious flyer anymore. I like fishing, camping, hiking, snowshoeing...about as much as I like flying now.

Crenshaw wrote:I turn into a slug at anywhere near 90*.

Hot days are for playing in the river!

Same here. With all the lava fields around here that create huge drafts in the heat of the day I'd rather take one of the boats to the river. My favorite season to fly is the fall.

I also admit to being more of a fair weather flyer than I once was, so that low 80s at take off is as hot as I like. That allows me to be comfortable at a reasonable altitude AGL. It was close to 90 when I left Alamosa after gassing up 2 1/2 weeks ago after leaving La Garita, and I was really glad to get into the air for comfort. But I've flown when temps on the ground were well over 100, when it makes sense to fly as high as possible for comfort. I don't like those temps at all--hard on me, hard on the airplane.

Cary

Like in the classic movie with Marilyn Monroe, some like it hot.

Two days ago (June 23, 2015) I visited the Just Aircraft factory in Walhalla, South Carolina, elevation about 900 feet MSL, The temperature that afternoon was 100+ degrees. I saw Gary Schmitt, one of the two principles of the company, hop into his STOL and just take off.

It was so hot I did not even see any birds flying that afternoon; I’m told that birds are real experts at density altitude. That plane rolled about 50 feet, and took off like a bat out of hell. Temperatures in Hell and Walhalla, SC that afternoon I suppose about the same.

My take home impression was that with the right equipment and the right skill set and experience, certain things do become possible. For mortals like me with limited skills, when it gets that hot, I’ll just be on the ground, or on the water. It still was an amazing sight in that blistering summer heat.

I fly for fun and enjoyment. I don't "have to" fly.

That means, for me, the window of operation is +20º to +90º F.

Stanley Idaho was the coldest in the nation (36 degrees) the other day, but even there they are forecasting low 90's daytime this week! I spent last night in West Yellowstone, and it cooled off nicely, along with a little rain, it never got above 90 all day. Those two places are regularly featured in the national "coldest spot" weather reporting. When it gets hot at them you're pretty much just screwed anywhere else.

Way to hot for me. I guess not too hot for some because there were still planes out flying.

Was just 105F at my sister's wedding. Thank goodness for trees and the shade they provide. God also sent us a wonderful brisk breeze for the exact duration of her outdoor ceremony and reception.

I would NOT have gone flying!