> Ok, so I'm getting around just now ! Just thought I'd pass on some
> thoughts on the latest trip. I always feel that it's encouraging when
> Europa pilots relay there experiences to others. I promise the quoted
> figures are accurate. (except where indicated !)
>
> I'm just back from Scotland where I had a good weekend at my brothers
> near Aberfeldy.
>
> I had hoped to land in an adjacent field, but it's being used for
making
> hay at the moment so I was forced to use Perth Airfield near Scone.
> Perth is a very attractive area, and the staff there were most
helpful.
> The aircraft sat on the grass from Friday to Sunday.
>
> The trip from Rayne to Perth is of the order of 304 nm (direct line)
in
> a single step. On Friday I used the west route via Huddersfield,
Kendal
> and Carlisle. The final hop is over the Forth near Kincardine, and
then
> across West Fife to Perth. There is a great deal of mountainous
terrain
> from the Cumbria onwards and, despite having a narrow window of
> opportunity I made the journey on Friday evening.
>
> There was a more or less continuous headwind component which on
occasion
> reduced progress to double figures (mph). In addition, clouds over the
> mountains forced a
> number of minor course diversions. It's just too easy to get stuck
above
> cloud or to box yourself into a corner with reduced visibility. It's
bad
> enough when this happens over level terrain. The views of the Lake
> District were spectacular though.
>
> After Lockerbie, a change in the weather system produced a stiff
> westerly (wind veers at altitude) which promptly became gusty and
fresh
> to strong. My landing on tarmac at Perth wasn't my best. Fortunately
no
> one was there to witness it ! Light levels fell, shortly afterward
> (9.30pm).
>
> On my return yesterday, I elected to use the East Coast route over
Dunbar
> and down the spine of England, shadowing the distant coastline,
finally
> over The Wash and back into Cambridgeshire and Essex.. Both these
routes
> are fairly direct and don't require too much deviation from a straight
> line.
>
> This time the weather was kinder, with superb views over the Forth
> Estuary, gradually giving way to misty haze with significant thermals
as
> I ventured down towards the home counties. The headwind of Friday had
> become the tailwind on Sunday and I completed the journey faster than
> anticipated.
>
> Long journeys in the UK frequently involve a number of weather
systems.
> This weekend was reasonable for flying, but it does remind me of
> the necessity of closely scrutinizing the forecast. Tom Dawes-Gamble's
> aviation TAF and METARs pages are invaluable in this process.
>
> The Rotax behaved impeccably. Temps were low (except EGT) with Cyl
head
> temps of 75-80 centigrade for much of the journey, and coolant temp
was
> frequently in double figures (even on such a hot day). My fuel
> consumption is consistently higher than the value others have given,
but
> this may be due to raised carb. jet needles. (around 16 litres/hour in
> cruise).
>
> Here are the flight details: Once again they give a close
approximation
> of the performance of my aircraft which I consider to be a standard
> 'classic' 912. I think it would be totally impractical to try to
squeeze
> any more than a few extra knots out of it without adding _tens_ of
horse
> power. This is it's natural speed. I find that 500 extra rpm seems to
> equate to around 7 knots, but make it use fuel much less efficiently..
>
> Hopefully these will help the average Europa pilot when considering
longer
> cross country trips. I _do_ think my fuel consumption is probably
higher
> than average though.
>
> WD fixed pitch prop : around 18 degrees.
>
> Rayne - Perth (west coast route).
>
> En-route time: 3hrs 20 min.
> Engine RPM: 4700 - 4800.
> Fuel use: 54 litres. (just under 12 imp gallons)
> Distance covered: 328 Nm (approx +- 3 Nm)
> Average speed: 97 knots. (ground speed)
>
> Perth - Rayne (east coast route)
>
> En-route time: 2hrs 45 min
> Engine RPM: circa 5000 - 5100
> Fuel use: not know (yet).
> Distance covered: 328 Nm (purely a coincidence!)
> Average speed: 121 knots. (ground speed)
>
> Overall average: 109 knots.
>
> Obviously head/tailwind affects journey duration on such a long trip,
> EVEN when comparatively calm conditions prevail.
>
> alan
>
> Following up on a previous thread, I'd expect to take just under 4
hours
> Tatenhill - Epinal at 105 knots, allowing for drift/error and
following a
> realistic course across England and France.
>
> Direct line distance 402 Nm.
> Tatenhill (EGBM) - Baldock - Hythe - Le Touquet - Bethel - Epinal -
407
> Nm.
>
> At 120 knots (if it were possible), I would expect to take about 3 hr
30
> min.
--
Alan. D. Stewart
14 Goddard Way 'phone : +44 1245 264186
Chelmer Village work : +44 1473 607571
Chelmsford, Essex CM2 6UR email : alan.stewart@cableinet.co.uk
office email : alan.d.stewart@bt.com
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