Rwy20 wrote:
Needless to say that I found it a bit unnecessary to be told by a flight instructor to not switch on the pitot heat at the holding point, but wait for it until I was lined up.
That is also type specific. I have a 2 minute limitation on PH on the ground so it goes on with the landing light when cleared for take off.
Some planes have a limit on the amount of heat you can use.
Out of the 31 planes I have in my logbook (probably half of which school / club fleet at White Waltham / Stapleford), I never had a failed pitot heat.
There were 4 that didn’t have it (2 Jodel Mousquetaire / Abeille, 2 Super cubs), and one that had it but I probably didn’t check (flying with an instructor, in Lebanon, preflight was done quite expeditiously, but it was a hot summer day anyway)
AnthonyQ wrote:
burned out pitot heat is expensive
This must be type specific. Some COPA member has tested this (for a Cirrus), and IIRC it took 40 mins of pitot heat on the ground before there was a visible change to the metal colour, but it didn’t impact the functionality.
Needless to say that I found it a bit unnecessary to be told by a flight instructor to not switch on the pitot heat at the holding point, but wait for it until I was lined up. At that moment, I’d rather focus on traffic and ATC than switching things in the cockpit which are now not on any checklist. It’s also easy to forget the pitot heat if you do it that way.
Burned out landing lights are a nuisance….burned out pitot heat is expensive
Fuji_Abound wrote:
I asked because many pohs for most light singles state as required including the TB20. I appreciate your position is so as not to forget in conditions of visible moisture and freezing, but equally i might ask why would you in August in cavok with no intention of flying more than 3,000 feet?
I take your point but actually I would although for different reasons. No pitot heat is an amber caution message in my CAS. If you don’t use it you will then get a flashing master caution during the takeoff roll.
However while that is type specific I did it in the PA46s as well. I just believe in doing things like that every time to avoid forgetting at times when it might really matter.
Fuji_Abound wrote:
August in cavok with no intention of flying more than 3,000 feet
I do it so its ingrained and (I think) it reduces the likelihood of forgetting another time.
“Out of interest, if you are an IFR pilot, why would you not?”
I asked because many pohs for most light singles state as required including the TB20. I appreciate your position is so as not to forget in conditions of visible moisture and freezing, but equally i might ask why would you in August in cavok with no intention of flying more than 3,000 feet?
I turn on pitot heat on line up and off when I exit the runway. Taxi/recg light on 10k ft and below. Landing light on when cleared for takeoff/to land.
I poor vis circuit type conditions I would turn on every light I have including the ice light on the wing.
