The flight school I use discourages flight training when the temperatures go below 5 deg F. They have an engine preheater on the C150 I use, and the concern doesn’t seem to be with starting the engine, as much as it is with temperature changes while doing pattern and stall work. Their particular concerns are increased wear and tear, including risks of cold soaking the engine.
Is this a valid concern, or is it a misconception? Is going from full throttle to descent/idle throttle over 10 minutes enough pressure/temperature change to cause issues inside the engine? Is there a concern that the carb heat cannot melt any ice that has formed quickly enough and what does that mean to wear and tear of the engine?
How do other flight schools in other cold areas (e.g. North Dakota, Canada) handle this situation?
