When you live in the upper Midwest you start thinking about those things that need to get done before the ice and snow arrive.

In the past I would put a few moth balls in a couple corners of the shop. That doesn’t stop all the mice and bugs, but it helps cut back. We did that growing up. Tossed a few moth balls in all the campers we rented to keep the critters out. Moth balls might work but they are not the best or the safest. So now I have gone to a packet of natural spices and oils.

Anyway, tossing mouse repellent packets, got me to thinking about things we aircraft owners need to do if we were going to store or park our aircraft for any length of time. And it’s still not too late to do a few of these. I’ve shared a few of these before, but it’s good to have a reminder.

Have a Plan

That plan needs to be based on your use of the airplane over the winter.

In my opinion, you have three different options:

1. Long-term Storage: Not flying for more than 30 – 45 days minimum.
2. Short-term Storage: Could fly but it will probably be a few weeks between flights.
3. No Storage: Fly everyday like it’s summer and don’t ac­cept that winter is an issue.

So, if you are the type that parks the plane and travels around the world or relocates to a summer house without taking the trusty winged steed with you, you’re more of a “long-term stor­age” person.

If you aren’t planning to use the aircraft on a regular basis, for example, it’s 50 degrees Fahrenheit on January 1^st, you might want to take it for a flight around the pattern, just to say you did it. I do the same thing with my motorcycle. Well, in that case you’ll want to have a different plan that makes it easier to fly. Sounds like you are going to fall into the “short-term storage” category.

And if you are the type that doesn’t care if it’s snow and ice, you might just slap a set of skis on the plane and get out there and fly. Then you are a “no storage” type of owner.

Talking About Storage

If you are going to make your plane into a Kakapo (which is a large, nocturnal, flightless, lek-breeding parrot from Australia and considered a real oddity) you need to make plans to “pick­le” your plane. And if you are wondering what “lek” means, the Australian male parrot hangs back and lets the mate make the advances. Which is kind of what your aircraft is doing, waiting for someone to get it out of the hangar and take it for a “dance.”

Anyway, being in a “storage state of mind” means parking your aircraft for anything over 30 days. Now you might be say­ing, I do that right now and I’m not in a “storage state of mind”, well maybe we need to talk about that. Many people feel they can just let their aircraft stay in the hanger for days on end and not have any issues. The thought is “no fly, no problem”.

Personally, I think that is a problem. An aircraft that has been parked and has not had a few minor things done deteriorates quickly. Cables get stiff, rubber parts dry out and then the whole neighborhood goes to heck. Mice move in quickly, in a matter of days. Wasps and mud daubers start colonizing in hours and before you know it there’s no room left for the pilot.

What Should You Do?

Plan ahead for long-term storage by starting with the en­gine. You need to treat the fuel to prevent it from breaking down. You also need to protect the internal parts of the en­gine to prevent corrosion during the extended vacation from flying. You could add corrosion protection to the oil, run briefly, and then spray the inside of the cylinders with a good fogging oil. Reminder here, I am not a mechanic, so make sure you talk to your mechanic and either follow their rec­ommendations or have them get the plane ready for storage.

The risk of mice and bugs is where the repellent packag­es (or moth balls) come into play. Again, some people (my spouse) do not like the moth ball smells and I have been told they may be carcinogenic, so, use at your own risk. You do need something to help keep bugs and small vermin at bay. I have used scented dryer sheets, but I did run into a mouse that used one for a nest once, so I am not convinced they work for all mice.

You might also make sure you have shields on your gear legs to prevent mice from climbing into the aircraft. The shields I’m thinking of are like those metal cones used to keep squirrels out of bird feeders.

Also, block any openings in the exhaust, intakes and cowls. Not only do you block critters, but if you can block the air from getting into the exhaust and intake it helps reduce cor­rosion.

Insurance options?

If your plane is going to be parked for 90 days or more, you might check with your aviation insurance broker and see if you can change your hull coverage to ground not-in-motion. This would protect the aircraft while it’s parked, not under its own power, from things like storms, fire, and theft. Some­times it can save you a bit of money. The reason it’s 90 days is that most underwriters will not make the coverage change for just a couple of weeks.

Another thing to consider is having your insurance start around the time you put the aircraft in storage or take it out. Timing this way can make it easier to remember. We have a customer that parks the plane in October and doesn’t get it back out until April. When the policy is renewed in October it’s ground coverage only, when the owner is ready to fly in April the flight coverage is added to the policy for the re­mainder of the policy period.

Okay, I hate to say it, but you really need to do pretty much the same thing you do for long-term storage for short-term storage. The aircraft runs the same risk for corrosion, in­festation, and deterioration if you store for 30 days or 300 days. You might not pickle the engine and instead run the en­gine every couple of weeks. That’s something to talk to your mechanic about. As far as the insurance, if you never know when you will fly, don’t change the coverage. Don’t take the risk that you didn’t request a change to your coverage before you hop in for a quick flight around the pattern. The cover­age changes are not automatic; the owner is the one that must make the request.

Don’t Let Your Insurance Lapse or Cancel Coverage.

Another insurance issue that needs to be considered is based on the owner’s age and claim history. If you are an older pilot (say 70+) or have had a claim in the last five years you will not want to cancel your coverage while you store your aircraft. If you cancel coverage, the insurance company does not have to take you back. You would be “new business” and that can mean your age or history could put you at risk to not get insurance. If there is any question, keep at least some sort of coverage in place (even if it’s liability only) if you are not going to fly for months. Plus, many airports require proof of insurance to keep your hangar lease in place, so you’ll need something in that case.

Lastly, if you plan to fly all year long (no storage), just follow the basic idea that you need to run the aircraft regularly and get the operating temperatures up in the green operating arc to help burn out the moisture. You will still have bird, mouse, and bug problems, plus it’s still important to keep your fuel tanks filled (especially bladder tanks), but if you are stopping at the hangar every other day, you can keep a pretty good watch over stuff.

In this case (and maybe during short-term storage), a good en­gine oil heater might be important. If the weather is cold, starting the engine with thick oil is going to be detrimental in the long run to the internal moving parts. Oil needs to flow, and cold oil doesn’t flow very well or at all. Keeping the oil warm and ready to go is a better solution, especially since you never know when you might fly.

Insurance Summary

1. Long-Term Storage: If you are not flying for more than 30 – 45 days minimum, change insurance to ground not in motion, fog the engine with lubricating fogging oil to protect from corrosion. Add fuel additive. Seal openings from vermin, varmints and other pests.
2. Short-Term Storage: If you know it will be a few weeks between flights, you could fog the engine with lubricat­ing fogging oil to protect from corrosion if you expect a long time between flights. Or you could just plan on running the engine until everything (operating tempera­tures) get into the green arcs every couple of weeks. But you still need to add a fuel additive. Seal openings from vermin, varmints and other pests.
3. No Storage: Fly like its summer and don’t accept that win­ter is an issue. This means you will be running the engine every other day, because you will be flying the plane. Flying is good and keeps the aircraft in shape.