Now that summer has come to a close, it is time to think about how to care for your aircraft during the winter months. Many people do the majority of their flying during summer, store their asset over winter and then conduct annual maintenance in spring. The best solution, according to Shell Aviation Lubricants global marketing manager Amjad Shahabuddin, is to hangar your aircraft.

He says: “If you limit maintenance efforts in autumn, then at the minimum the old oil should be removed from your engine to avoid corrosion and wear. Used oil can be quite acidic and, when combined with water from the atmosphere, often causes corrosion.

“The old oil can be replaced by your normal grade if you intend to carry on flying for a minimum half an hour cruise every fortnight. However, if you fly less over the winter then you may consider other options to protect the engine of your aircraft.”

Even if the aircraft is hangared, Shahabuddin believes owners should take the following into consideration:

• Change the oil.
• Chock front and back wheels and release the parking brake. This prevents the brake seizing while the aircraft is static.
• Blanket the inlets exhaust and vents. Pitot and static vent covers are essential to ensure the orifices do not become blocked with insects or dirt.
• Apply airframe grease. During storage checks it is prudent to re-lubricate hinges and linkages.
• Check that fuel cocks are closed and master switches off and consider removing the battery.
• Fill the fuel tanks. Ensuring that the fuel tanks are full prevents the build-up of condensation in the tanks. If your aircraft is hangared, make sure you have permission to store your aircraft with full tanks.