[brianvon]

John, I have actually encountered -32C in California of all places in the spring! It was just a cold day with a norther jet stream coming straight down from Alaska! I was only up there for 45 minutes so did not worry about cold-soaking the fuel, but 2-3 hours in that weather would be enough to increase my pucker factor and consider using isopropyl! So you could definitely encounter such cold winter temperatures in the central US at altitude.

Side window exits in unpressurized craft are a good idea. Sadly, in my P337G the only solution is to jam the clamshell door open before landing using the door handle as the jamming mechanism. Any racking of the doorframe after landing would otherwise jam the clamshell shut. While this would result in a lot more float time, the exits would be highly problematic.

Ironically, it may have been the side windows that caused the skymaster to sink so quickly. (although there was some mention of window breakage on this ditching). Most planes float at the level of their wings. for a low wing, this is no problem. For a high wing, it means that most if not all of the cockpit may be underwater. We should get the story from the pilots as to where the cockpit floats. Open the windows and the water will fill the cockpit in seconds. So we are left with a real tradeoff. Windows open, you can get out but you will only have seconds to do so. Windows closed, you will have minutes to ponder a watery death, but with 1 pound per square inch covering all 300 square inches of your window, you are unlikely to get that window open with anything less than a hydraulic press.

Given the importance of the life raft and the water bag, I am considering modifying my procedures to have the copilot hold the life raft in his lap before ditching, and have the waterbag in my lap before reaching the surface. Downside is that the life raft will hit the yoke and force a nose first second impact after first bounce. Upside is that the life raft will be with you when you egress, like it or not.

Green laser flare around my neck is the other modification to my procedures. There are just too many ways of not being found out there to not have one!

Cheers,

Brian