Re: pitot heat question

"K. Ari Krupnikov" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message
news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]

> This did raise a question -- is there a good reason Pitot heat isn't
> on all the time? It doesn't seem to be a big power drain, and unlike
> carb heat does not to my knowledge affect performance. Is there a
> reason I shouldn't turn it on when I put transponder on ALT and turn
> it off when I shut down electrics before engine shutdown?

Only that having it on when you have no airspeed may overheat it and cause
unnecessary wear and tear.  I put it on as part of the line-up checks and
switch it off as part of the after-landing checks.

I think most airlines do the same -- just because the big boys do it doesn't
mean we should automatically follow suit, but in this case, as you found, I
figure that prevention is better than cure.  Weren't some of the Piper
Malibu accidents attributed to loss of control after the pilot forgot the
pitot heat?

Finally, the pitot heat can make a difference to the compass.  At least in
my part of the world, the compass is swung with the pitot heat on.

Julian Scarfe