The Liberty Gazette
March 9, 2021
Ely Air Lines
By Mike Ely and Linda Street-Ely
Mike: Early flying experiences can leave lasting impressions. Many years ago, I was preparing to fly home after spending a week visiting friends in Boise, Idaho. During preflight, I noted that the temperature was about five degrees and it was snowing lightly. The snow was very dry and not sticking due to how cold it was. The yellow ball of the sun was veiled but visible through low clouds, and a halo surrounded it. Two star-like bright spots (sun dogs) appeared on each side of the ring. Their presence told me there was a high layer of ice crystals, far above where I would be flying. The top of the cloud layer I was going to climb through was reported to be about eight thousand feet. The climb wouldn’t be difficult in the Cessna Turbo Skylane RG.
On my first attempt to taxi to the runway, the ground controller directed me down a taxiway that had not been cleared of snow, thinking it wasn’t very deep, which was a mistake. Turns out, the snow depth was about 18 inches, and once I got into it, I couldn’t turn around or go forward. I shut down the engine and stood in the snow as the ground crew dug me out. Embarrassed, I tossed $20 into their line service coffee fund, hopped in and fired up, determined never make that mistake again.
This time, the controller directed me down a taxiway that was clear of snow. But a sheet of ice covered it, and with a stiff wind at my side, I had to taxi cockeyed to keep the airplane from sliding into the snow drifts on either side. By the time I reached the runway, I had learned how to sail and ice skate in an airplane. Fortunately, the takeoff was straight into the wind and uneventful.
As expected, I broke out above the clouds and into bright sunshine shortly after leaving the ground. I was flying on an instrument flight plan but wanted to remain clear of the clouds as much as possible on my way to Reno, Nevada, my refueling stop. The desert landscape, white and frozen, lay below multiple cloud layers between me and the ground. I would change altitudes to remain in the clear until shortly before my destination because clouds are wet, and cold clouds have ice.
As I began my approach into Reno at 12,000 feet, I flew into a thick layer of cloud and was immediately pelted by freezing rain. Without hesitation, I advised the controller that I needed to climb to clear and colder air. He cleared me to 16,000 feet. At 15,000’, I came out of the clouds with the airplane wrapped in ice.
We estimated that I landed with over 300 pounds of ice, collected in less than a couple minutes. I broke off the icicle that pointed straight out from the prop spinner. It resembled a 12-inch-long funnel and weighed several pounds. Lessons from that flight have stayed with me ever since.
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