How/ confused by LOP vs ROP

[DaV8or]

I totally understand Philip's confusion. I was never taught any sort of good engine management by a CFI. It was either just the pull until rough and then back in a couple of turns, or some would just say, pull the mixture out about an inch. I used to fly a Cessna Cutlass and it had it's stock panel with a single probe, analog EGT gauge with a movable needle to mark peak with. I tried to use it a few times as the owner of the plane had put a sticker there that said to run 75 degrees ROP.

I gave up on that thing. Trying to fly the plane (no auto pilot) and stare at that needle to determine when the needle reversed course and then turning the second needle to where you thought the needle reversed course, only so you could then proceed to try to count the hash marks backwards to find 75 degrees ROP in a bumpy cockpit was bullcrap!

If anybody here is flying with one of these gauges, do yourself and your engine a huge favor and get at least a basic digital EGT gauge with a lean find mode. If you can't afford the digital gauge, then set your power to 65% by the book and then do the lean until rough and richen until smooth method and don't worry about ROP, or LOP.

[stevesm20b]

  On 12/5/2012 at 5:11 PM, DaV8or said:

I totally understand Philip's confusion. I was never taught any sort of good engine management by a CFI. It was either just the pull until rough and then back in a couple of turns, or some would just say, pull the mixture out about an inch. I used to fly a Cessna Cutlass and it had it's stock panel with a single probe, analog EGT gauge with a movable needle to mark peak with. I tried to use it a few times as the owner of the plane had put a sticker there that said to run 75 degrees ROP.

I gave up on that thing. Trying to fly the plane (no auto pilot) and stare at that needle to determine when the needle reversed course and then turning the second needle to where you thought the needle reversed course, only so you could then proceed to try to count the hash marks backwards to find 75 degrees ROP in a bumpy cockpit was bullcrap!

If anybody here is flying with one of these gauges, do yourself and your engine a huge favor and get at least a basic digital EGT gauge with a lean find mode. If you can't afford the digital gauge, then set your power to 65% by the book and then do the lean until rough and richen until smooth method and don't worry about ROP, or LOP.

I can so relate to this!

[BigTex]

In this month's (Dec 2012) Sport Aviation, there's a great article by Mike Busch on flying the "red box/red fin" as it relates to ROP/LOP. Highly recommend it and should be must reading for everyone.

[philipneeper]

  On 12/5/2012 at 5:11 PM, DaV8or said:

I totally understand Philip's confusion. I was never taught any sort of good engine management by a CFI. It was either just the pull until rough and then back in a couple of turns, or some would just say, pull the mixture out about an inch. I used to fly a Cessna Cutlass and it had it's stock panel with a single probe, analog EGT gauge with a movable needle to mark peak with. I tried to use it a few times as the owner of the plane had put a sticker there that said to run 75 degrees ROP.

I gave up on that thing. Trying to fly the plane (no auto pilot) and stare at that needle to determine when the needle reversed course and then turning the second needle to where you thought the needle reversed course, only so you could then proceed to try to count the hash marks backwards to find 75 degrees ROP in a bumpy cockpit was bullcrap!

If anybody here is flying with one of these gauges, do yourself and your engine a huge favor and get at least a basic digital EGT gauge with a lean find mode. If you can't afford the digital gauge, then set your power to 65% by the book and then do the lean until rough and richen until smooth method and don't worry about ROP, or LOP.

Thats exactly what i was taught. Even when i flew twins for my multi instrument i always flew the squared technique. so when yall say we fly at 2500 RPM it sounds like full speed ahead to me. I just need to get more expirence and time flying. and CLEARLY study my manuals some more. I really apreciate your expirence. I need to get as much flight time in as possible before i go across the pond again soon.

[Hank]

Philip--

I've recently been flying an F, and the injected birds are definitely different from our C's! I've rummaged through the Performance Charts and settled on three basic power settings, modified as needed:

Low-level--23"/2300, usually indicating ~140 mph [but sometimes 24"/2200 depending on how I feel]

Mid-level [~4000-5500 or so]--22"/2400, often good for beginning instrument approaches around here

Traveling [8000+]--WOT minus a tad/2500, usually indicating ~135 mph

I always descend "power on," walking throttle back and mixture forward during descent to maintain the values from cruise. The first time I did this in the F, airspeed hit 190 as I was around 3000-4000' running 25"/2500 when I pointed her down with no power change. Now I pull back to 20-22" to descend in the F. In my C, I leave the throttle alone and typically descend around 165 indicated.

I don't reach 10,000 often, but did go to 11,000 once crossing W. NC in strong wind, but didn't think to try higher RPM. Next time, I'll test 2600 at 10,000 and above.