Climb Power Ovation

[V1VRV2]

I never found an altitude reference for setting the recommended reduced climb power of 24” 2500 RPM from full power on takeoff. At 500’ AFE I accelerate to cruise climb 120kts from VY 105 kts and pull the MP back. Is this common practice at this altitude? 

[mike_elliott]

David, leave the MP in at 500' as your still in the "kill" zone a bit. I leave full MP in until cruise altitude but adjust mixture to target SL EGT all the way up. On the 2700 RPM 310's, Ill back the rpm down some after 1K. Does Will do it differently?

[buddy]

My normal takeoff at SL is everything full forward, rotate, once all obstacles are cleared I raise the flaps then reduce the RPM to 2550 with full MP. I cruise climb out between 130kts - 140kts at 800 fpm and this keeps my CHT’s at or below 380. I adjust my mixture as needed to keep my CHT’s at or below 380 until reaching my cruise altitude.

[Jerry 5TJ]

I prefer to teach no power reduction until at least 1,000 AGL  --   Concentration should be on power, pitch, positive rate and a stabilized departure.  

The MAPA PPP "IFR by the Numbers" chart recommends the Ovation initial climb at 110 KIAS with gear up and flaps up, MP full and RPM full (2500).   Transition to cruise climb calls for no change in power settings, speed increased to 130 KIAS for cooling. 

[V1VRV2]

6 hours ago, mike_elliott said:

David, leave the MP in at 500' as your still in the "kill" zone a bit. I leave full MP in until cruise altitude but adjust mixture to target SL EGT all the way up. On the 2700 RPM 310's, Ill back the rpm down some after 1K. Does Will do it differently?

Will never gave me a hard altitude on the power reduction. I have over 100hrs in the Piper Seminole and 500’ is the alitutude to set climb power so I just carried that over to the Ovation. Will did want to see a power reduction to the 24” early in the climb as per the POH he stated.

In my experience, which is mostly jets, doesn't really cover the Ovation. Standard jet TO profile is max or reduced TO power, second segment climb is V2 +10 - at 1,000 AFE lower the nose to V2 +20 start cleaning up the flaps. Flaps 0, climb power, climb checklist.

I like the idea of leaving the Ovation at full throttle all the way to cruise watching CHT and EGT in the climb. Just wanted to make sure there was no penalty to be paid for doing that. 

[ilovecornfields]

Even if you leave the throttle wide open, you are down to 24” in about 5 minutes due to the climb so I wouldn’t worry about it.
 

I’ve looked for and been unable to find solid evidence that a power reduction early in the climb can actually cause an engine failure, but I agree with our CFIs above who say to leave things alone until you’re at a safe altitude especially since there’s no clear benefit to fiddling around with the knobs down low.

Personally I don’t touch the throttle until cruise but will pull the prop RPM back to 2550 at 1000’ AGL. If your fuel flow is set right this shouldn’t cause CHT issues. 

[StevenL757]

17 minutes ago, ilovecornfields said:

Even if you leave the throttle wide open, you are down to 24” in about 5 minutes due to the climb so I wouldn’t worry about it.
 

I’ve looked for and been unable to find solid evidence that a power reduction early in the climb can actually cause an engine failure, but I agree with our CFIs above who say to leave things alone until you’re at a safe altitude especially since there’s no clear benefit to fiddling around with the knobs down low.

Personally I don’t touch the throttle until cruise but will pull the prop RPM back to 2550 at 1000’ AGL. If your fuel flow is set right this shouldn’t cause CHT issues. 

Ditto.  Nothing really extra to add here...

[carusoam]

+1

-a-

[Mufflerbearing]

I understand that there is an intake efficiency with WOT.  The prior owner of my plane said leave the throttle to the wall and use mixture and prop for performance/efficiencies.  I also understand, in cruise, that 2300 rpm is a better place for the engine to run as the magnetos are a set advance. 

[KLudwick]

+1 for leaving takeoff power set throughout the climb.  That's how I teach it in the Ovation, and as others have mentioned, your power is reduced by virtue of the climb after a few minutes anyways.  I always teach 120-130 knots IAS in the climb as well, which seems to keep cooling flow and performance at a happy medium.  

[V1VRV2]

I will be changing my SOP. Firewall power it is!

[MooneyMitch]

1 minute ago, V1VRV2 said:

I will be changing my SOP. Firewall power it is!

Yippee!!! 

[Jeff_S]

For what it's worth, you can fly the Ovation on several different profiles depending on your needs and mood of the day.  I am firmly in the WOT camp all the way to cruise altitude.  If cruise altitude gives me any MAP at 24" or below, I leave it at WOT the whole time.  Engines like air.  I do reduce RPM to 2600 at 1000' AGL just to cut the vibration and noise a little bit. Almost always LOP except in the last scenario below.

My standard cruise config is WOT/2450, just because it seems to be a bit smoother for me there than the standard 2500. YMMV.

My loafing configuration is 20"/2400 and LOP to 10.5 GPH.  Even loafing I get about 150 KTAS, which coincidentally is exactly what my cruise profile was in the J!  So you can fly the O like the J if you want.

Finally, race configuration is WOT/2600 and about 22 GPH or wherever I need to be to keep CHTs in line. My last race gave me an average TAS of about 194 knots at this setting.  So there is definitely a go-fast mode on the Ovation, but the book speed of 198 knots most likely benefitted from a perfectly tuned engine and perhaps a bit of marketing license.  Remember, that was based on the original max RPM of 2500. I can't imagine any Ovation at full gross doing 198 knots at only 2500 RPM, unless there was a little downhill action on the side!

[MooneyMitch]

9 minutes ago, Jeff_S said:

For what it's worth, you can fly the Ovation on several different profiles depending on your needs and mood of the day.  I am firmly in the WOT camp all the way to cruise altitude.  If cruise altitude gives me any MAP at 24" or below, I leave it at WOT the whole time.  Engines like air.  I do reduce RPM to 2600 at 1000' AGL just to cut the vibration and noise a little bit. Almost always LOP except in the last scenario below.

My standard cruise config is WOT/2450, just because it seems to be a bit smoother for me there than the standard 2500. YMMV.

My loafing configuration is 20"/2400 and LOP to 10.5 GPH.  Even loafing I get about 150 KTAS, which coincidentally is exactly what my cruise profile was in the J!  So you can fly the O like the J if you want.

Finally, race configuration is WOT/2600 and about 22 GPH or wherever I need to be to keep CHTs in line. My last race gave me an average TAS of about 194 knots at this setting.  So there is definitely a go-fast mode on the Ovation, but the book speed of 198 knots most likely benefitted from a perfectly tuned engine and perhaps a bit of marketing license.  Remember, that was based on the original max RPM of 2500. I can't imagine any Ovation at full gross doing 198 knots at only 2500 RPM, unless there was a little downhill action on the side!

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[Parker_Woodruff]

Wide open throttle. Max RPM unless you're trying to reduce noise.  Target EGT method to lean in the climb.

[jetdriven]

its already 2400 RPM, which is lower than a 172.  And a higher prop speed, is higher downrange at every point than one who pulls the prop back, and higher flying airplanes are quieter than lower ones.

I find it funny, for example, a dude buys a M20E, pulls the prop back to 2500 RPM to be "easy on it".  Lower noise.  Then he buys an Ovation. And he wants to be easy on the motor, so he pulls it  back to 2300 for climb. Then he gets a screaming eagle conversion, and he pulls it back to 2500 for climb to be easy on it, but it's the same airplane.

Edited February 24, 2021 by jetdriven