Wheel Pants and Winter (snowy) Flying

[msw]

I'll be doing a trip from Southern California to Boston in my Cherokee Six in January, and I need some advice from you cold (snowy) weather pilots out there. Should I take the wheel pants off my airplane before I do this trip, in anticipation of operating on snowy or slushy runways? Do winter flyers in New England and other snowy regions routinely take the wheel pants off their fixed gear birds during winter? I hate to take them off for such a long trip, because doing so results in a 7 knot speed penalty, and I'd much rather do the trip at 145 kts than at 138 kts. What are the pros and cons for leaving them on/taking them off? Advice from experienced snowy weather pilots would be appreciated!

 

[ultrarunner]

There is no advantage of operating with wheel pants in the winter environment. It's a pain in the rear the first time you land and fill those things up with snow, wet slush, etc...then not be able to get into a headed hangar.

Having operated fixed gear planes in this environment, it's not worth the extra few knots. You'll be way ahead of the game in the time you save in not having to yank them off when it's 10 degrees out.

that's my 2 cents.

 

[katanabob]

I'd take them off. You get slush inside, it freezes solid while airborne. You climb up, tires expand. Such things can be detrimental to long-term wheel pant life. (This in addition to the above mentioned items)

 

[BD King]

Take 'em off. However, something way back in my old brain, says the the Six was certified with the nose gear wheel pant on. AvBug may know.