Sport Air Race - Lone Star Air Rally - Oct 6!

[Becca]

So its time to try out the new engine in an air race. We still hold the record for a Mooney 201 and the FAC3RG class at 187.78 mph. I don't think this engine is going to perform as well, but we'll see. However, this record is for the most part due to lack of competition - it can be beat! It can be beat by you!

If you've never done an air race, you should come. I am going to reiterate my usual reassurance about what cool events these are: 1. They are just like flying a long cross country around some waypoints. Some people do it WOT, some at cruise speeds, you can just do it for fun. Though WOT is better. 2. They are totally safe - they sequence race starts with the fastest plane first and provide for good separation and clear radio calls at each turn point. Occasionally there is a very controlled pass, but most planes stay in the same sequence they started 3. Altitudes are safe per the FAR's. 4. Its a fun group with a very mixed demographic and all sorts of airplane types. 5. Lots of trophies are awarded. Come be my competition! Or if you want to just come out and watch the start, that can be fun too, but not as fun as racing.

The Lone Star Air Rally was the first race I flew last year and it had me hooked at an instant. They have modified the course this year (I heard it called the "Texas Twister") with a lot of turns - usually an air race might have 4-5 turns, this race has 10!

We'd love to see you there - let me know if you have any questions about air racing:

http://lonestarairrally.blogspot.com/

[Lionudakis]

I'm trying to make it, and trying to recruit another mooney too.

[jetdriven]

The last time we did one of these, the CHTs were all 330 degrees, The IAS was in the green, and the FF was 16-18 GPH, but only for 30 minutes. It takes 30 minutes to climb to 12,000 feet, and 2700 RPM is a listed cruise RPM anyways. A 250 ROP mixture burns slow and cool. So, for those that might think they are harming a naturally-aspirated engine running it at rated power for 30 minutes, it doesnt bear evidence of that. I think it likes it.

[FlyTester]

I flew the Great Northwest Air Race earlier this year and for the fun of it, did it in the ugliest beater of a 172 (FAC5FX) I could rent. (Think faded paint, torn seats, yellowed plastic and grey duct tape racing numbers!) Of the six 172s in the race, I placed 2nd (missing 1st by .5 kt). I ran "Screaming Tortoise" 50 RPM below redline at 100 deg ROP, started at pattern alt and stayed there knowing I'd have to cross a ridge line near the end. Looking forward to running GNAR 2013 in my M20C (FAC4RG). There were no Mooneys at all in the 2012 race.

[jetdriven]

Why 50 RPM below redline? Why not 2700 RPM?

[FlyTester]

Parallax.

[Becca]

Bump! Hope to see you there on Saturday.

[Hank]

Parallax.

Push it all the way in. Should be 2700, no need to look.

[Becca]

192.54 mph. New Mooney 201 record. Could have been a little faster, I nearly missed one of the 10 turns and ended up wide of it and a couple times wasn't perfect on my altitude control and ended up in a bit of a climb before noticing and thus losing speed. Flew most of the race at 800 feet, on our old engine, had to fly full rich to keep engine cool enough, however, this engine is definitely running cooler now, so did some leaning (as best power does involve a little leaning from full rich - I think best power is somewhere around 80-100 ROP) and got down to 15.5 gph (full rich is 18.0 gph) before I got to 370 CHT's, probably could have actually leaned more, but I think we did benefit from this additional power. Byron has promised to stop complaining about how slow our new engine is now. Also, you should know he's changed the mag timing 4 times since getting the plane, but I flew the race at the mag timing that the plane was shipped from the factory in. And Byron is getting really good at re-timing the mag.

[jetdriven]

I am pretty sure that our gains in speed from break-in were largely due to the magneto timing drifting up to 22.3/22.7 Thats where it was at 50 hours when we measured it. 25.5 and 24.2 degrees is 2 MPH slower, although 7K feet LOP economy is a little better, by 1 NMPG.

It appears that 23.0 degrees is definately the fastest timing setting. Today we were only 5 MPH slower than a retractible Mustang 2, and 12 MPH slower than a 285 HP turbo V35B Bonanza. Half the fuel flow, I might add.

Oh, and I dumped the first bottle of Camguard in today. Call me crazy, but it was indicating 5 MPH higher than ever for the first time today. Paging Ed Kollin !

http://sportairrace.org/id492.html

[carusoam]

Becca and Byron,

You guys win a prize for delivering on the numbers, complete with technical reasoning.

Congrats on your accomplishment,

-a-

[fantom]

Camguard really works....and if it makes Byron and Becca faster, all the better.

I wonder what it tastes like

[carusoam]

Gary,

I picture Becca parking the J methodically, quickly and safely, followed by jumping out of the cockpit and spouting (John Force style)

Those Camguard additives really work!

JF would bark "Those Jet Hot coatings really work!"

Her speeds are creeping up on the mystical 201 mph number.

Best regards,

-a-

[fantom]

Gary,

I picture Becca parking the J methodically, quickly and safely, followed by jumping out of the cockpit and spouting (John Force style)

Those Camguard additives really work!

I can see lucrative endorsements and commercials in her future.

[201er]

8mph to go...