Guy Buchanan
Joined: 16 Jul 2006
Posts: 1204
Location: Ramona, CA
|
 Posted: Tue Apr 20, 2010 9:38 am Post subject: RotaxEngines-List Digest: 9 Msgs - 04/19/10 |
 |
|
At 05:16 AM 4/20/2010, you wrote:
| Quote: | My experience of declutched freewheeling propellers is that in event
of engine off, glide distance is significantly reduced, perhaps worse
than half.
|
Relatively clean Kitfox IV-1200 at 1000# with a 70" Warp 3-blade
free-wheeling and no flaps best glide ratio 9.6:1 at about 62 MCAS.
With half flaps I get the same glide ratio at 52 MIAS. I know
Lancair's can get up to 18:1, so I don't think the prop's reduced my
glide ratio by half. I suspect the reduction is much reduced because
my best glide speed is so slow. Or vice-versa. 
| Quote: | Also the disturbed airflow over the tail can give you a nasty surprise
whe you try to do an accurate landing flare
|
Never seen this on the Kitfox, where virtually every landing is
"dead-stick" by virtue of the prop being disconnected from the engine
near stall at idle. (Not so on descent. Normally the prop remains
engaged just as it would on any other aircraft because you have to
get the engine RPM down below 2500 to get it to disengage. That means
getting it to disengage requires reducing speed to 40 MCAS, whereupon
the prop disengages, and then increasing speed again with the prop
disengaged.) I've never seen any kind of empennage control
abnormality. (Seen plenty of pilot control abnormalities, though.)
Guy Buchanan
San Diego, CA
K-IV 1200 / 582-C / Warp / 400 hrs. and counting
| | - The Matronics RotaxEngines-List Email Forum - | | | Use the List Feature Navigator to browse the many List utilities available such as the Email Subscriptions page, Archive Search & Download, 7-Day Browse, Chat, FAQ, Photoshare, and much more:
http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?RotaxEngines-List |
|
_________________
Guy Buchanan
Deceased K-IV 1200
A glider pilot too. |
|
Get Email Distribution Too!
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
