Be careful what you touch on very cold walkarounds

[pelmet]

More specifically, when it comes to plastic stuff. I was just reading about some nav light covers that had cracked during the very cold weather this year. Reminds me of an expensive plastic canopy that cracked when some maintenance guys touched it when parked out in the very cold weather. And a pilot who touched a plastic wing fence on a King Air many years ago nearig minus 40. Plastic seems to get really brittle.

[Redneck_pilot86]

Ive been operating cold soaked aircraft off of ramps at 40 below for over a decade. While plastic does get brittle, it still needs to be hit pretty hard to break. Tire tubes and oleo seals are far more apt to give you trouble.

[pelmet]

Ive been operating cold soaked aircraft off of ramps at 40 below for over a decade. While plastic does get brittle, it still needs to be hit pretty hard to break.

Thanks,

Your statement makes me wonder if some plastics are more likely than others to break/shatter.

Anybody know?

[Redneck_pilot86]

Quite probable, there are literally infinite different compounds called "plastic" so its logical that their extreme cold properties would vary.