On the step

[bonal]

Things around here seem kinda slow so I thought about starting a discussion about flying on the step. Read a couple articles and thought it interesting and wondered what others thought and how much it affects Mooney's at different altitudes. Never knew what the term meant but getting on the step is how I always transfer into cruise. No one ever taught it to me it just seemed logical to do. The articles indicated that it's more effective in the mid teens as aposed to down lower. I'm sure this community with its many opinions on aviation might have thoughts on the subject.

[gsengle]

I believe it's a total myth.

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[gsengle]

http://generalaviationnews.com/2015/09/15/no-step/

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[bonal]

Well I guess that settles that anyone have a different opinion 

[Jeff_S]

I was going to mention the the Step does actually exist in float plane take-offs and taxis, but the article mentioned that already so I won't bother. 

[carusoam]

It exists for things that get up and plane.  Aka speed boat.  The hull has a physical step in it (for some).  The step allows for a reduction of water surface area attached to the boat.  Aka friction.

airplanes don't have the Interface like air and water do...

Aopa covers it today in their AOPA TV program...

Best regards,

-a-

[Bob_Belville]

This came to my in box just this morning. Step debunked.

 

http://www.aopa.org/AOPA-Live?utm_source=ALTW&utm_medium=Content&utm_content=L2&utm_campaign=160429ALTW

[bonal]

Well I guess it's BS Guess I'll have to think of something else to get you guys going

[Mooneymite]

"The step", also has a corollary in the jet world known as "Ram effect".  It is pretty much the same argument/counter argument as the ram inlet on some of the Mooneys.

The primary purpose of "Ram Effect" is to start arguments.  It has little real purpose in the world of aviation....

[N201MKTurbo]

So, when you get above your desired altitude by no less then 1.03 times the AGL altitude and accelerate downward to your altitude you get a dynamic compression effect below your wing similar to ground effect. This increases the efficiency of the wing by up to 1.3% ....

Be sure to check out my cold fusion machine on EBay, it will power your house compleatly using oxygen empowered water.

[gsengle]

And the step method decreases your overall fuel economy by climbing higher than needed and going momentarily faster than cruise which has more drag than to the speed than in cruise.

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[Andy95W]

1 hour ago, bonal said:

Well I guess it's BS Guess I'll have to think of something else to get you guys going

Well, the Camguard discussion usually gets Peter Garmin in a lather, or pretty much any discussion of Samurai Husky's attempts to solo...

[gsengle]

How is the ninja pup doing?

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[Yooper Rocketman]

OMG, brings back memories of Fred on the Mooney Mailing List about 20 years ago.

[Hank]

On ‎4‎/‎30‎/‎2016 at 11:01 AM, N201MKTurbo said:

 

Be sure to check out my cold fusion machine on EBay, it will power your house compleatly using oxygen empowered water.

You'd better be careful there! Dihydrogen monoxide is dangerous stuff--too much of it can kill you!!

Edited May 2, 2016 by Hank

[Guest Mike261]

lets discuss "airplane on a treadmill".

[orionflt]

When I was flying in the P-3 Orion would use the basic step principle when we were heavy and flying cross country. because of our weight we were limited to how high we could efficiently climb, so we would climb to our initial cruise altitude set power and burn off fuel. as we got lighter and our airspeed increased to the point where we were "on the step" we would climb to the next altitude and do it again until we got to our desired cruising altitude, usually 27K. I realize what we were doing is not exacly the same as what they are talking about but it does use the same flying techniques to get the most efficiency. 

Brian

  

[Jerry 5TJ]

Ernie Gann described putting his airliners "on the step" in Fate is the Hunter.

As close as I've come is in my "C" where I could retract the step.

 

 

[Becca]

On 4/30/2016 at 8:33 AM, bonal said:

Well I guess that settles that anyone have a different opinion 

Here's the good thing about science and the laws of physics, they don't care who has what opinion. 

[Becca]

On 4/30/2016 at 9:03 AM, Jeff_S said:

I was going to mention the the Step does actually exist in float plane take-offs and taxis, but the article mentioned that already so I won't bother. 

Yep, because its a very real term for boats or float planes, or anything operating on top of a fluid with surface tension.  Its something people are familiar with and are like "well air is a fluid, so airplanes can do it too!", combined with the handful of planes that perform a similar operation because of weight issues in a climb and the need to burn off fuel, and you have a full fledge urban legend.   Drawing parallels to a boat/float plane getting on the step, with flying through the air is like saying a submarine at 500 feet below the water's surface can get on "the step".