[Pilots] Plugging in the Tanis Heater - or not

[Jerry Rosendahl]

I've been fielding questions recently about plugging in the Tanis heater -
or not. Our MN Wing supplement to CAPR 70-1 states "During cold weather,
i.e. ambient temperature less than 40 degrees F, aircraft engines will be
pre-heated using the installed Tanis heater prior to flight if the aircraft
is NOT in a heated hangar."

I'm aware of 3 situations where the hangar is "heated", but only to a
temperature of 40-44 degrees. Technically they are heated hangars.
Realistically, there isn't much difference between 39 degrees and 40 - 44
degrees. The pilots who flew the airplanes in these cases related the
difficulty in starting up.

Our Centralized Maintenance Contractor says, "plug them in, it doesn't hurt
the engine". "With as much flying as we do in CAP, leaving these airplanes
plugged in is OK." Especially now that we know we need to run the engine up
to operating oil temperature routinely to keep the battery charged. Using
the cowling blankets with the Tanis will keep the airplane ready for
service through our winter.

Jerry Rosendahl, Lt Col, CAP
MN Wing Aircraft Maintenance Officer
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