WESTBOUND XC MUSINGS

[Brian Scranton]

We made the return trip home this weekend from NJ to CO. With the turbo out of commission our now normally aspirated F taught me quite a bit. The 1600 mile flight took 3 stops, 14 hours, and ~160 gal. Here's a few learnings:

1) WIND SUCKS. Actually, it blows. Flew much of the first 1000 miles at 4000-6000 feet as the winds were 270@15-20 vs @270@40-50 above 8000'...which meant burning more fuel (~11.8 gph, 25/25, 125 ROP)...managed a TAS of ~132-135kts, max gross.

2) Engine management is much easier NA. SO MUCH EASIER. My temps never got above 380. At lower power settings higher up the rattle I see in my compass at 26" and 2500 rpm was non existent. On the engine monitor I noticed much less difference in CHT and EGT between cylinders. At higher power and higher altitude I see more discrepancies.  

3) Climbing above 8000' is hard. Set my climb trim to 100mph and was seeing 300 fpm above 8000'...once I hit 10,000 it was 200fpm. And then getting to 15,000 took a lot of patience. The 100mph climb was tough...I found better performance speeding up to 115 IAS then pitching up for a while, trading speed for climb, getting 500 feet out of it and then repeating. Of course, I was at 18/19"...but wow, range was so much better up higher. I was at 17" and 2450 and was burning 9gph. Pretty amazing. Also, the "step" is really important. Pushing that nose over when you reach your alt makes all the difference--its amazing that you can be nose up, not climbing and just hanging at 110IAS. But push that nose over, descend a bit to accelerate to 120IAS and zero out the climb...

4) America is filled with super friendly people. We stopped at PKB (Parkersburg, WV), SUS (Sprit of St. Louis), HYS (Hays, Kansas) and home. Great FBOs, cheapish fuel, good food...god I love GA. Went to Annie Gunn's in Chesterfield (St. Louis)--best dinner in a long long time. 

5) Getting any work done away from your home airfield is really hard. Everyone is booked out for months! Plus, I was never in the same spot for more than a few days. I was looking to get FF gauge installed, turbo fixed, oil changed...oh well, I'm now and can do it all. 

6) Put in about 35 hours in the last 3 weeks and I still want more. Just crested the 400 hour mark in my flight career. 

 

[Hank]

Aint it great!

I don't remember the climb numbers, but I had a 1320 nm trip Westbound [WV to WY], and I averaged 127 knots; coming back home, my little C averaged 151 knots. All were block time, so actual groundspeed should have been a little higher; I also made a couple of extra stops not required for fuel, but for sightseeing on the ground.

Climbing can be difficult, depending on the OAT. This time of year, climb sucks . . .

Glad to hear you finished your trip and made it home. Good luck with your "new" work.