Message text written by INTERNET:MJKTuck@cs.com
>One thing I noticed when I fly is if I level off at - say - 3,500 ft let
the
speed build, throttle back to say 5,000 rpm I get around 115 kt indicated.
If
I climb to 3,600 ft first then gently point the nose down to bring me back
down to 3,500 ft and let the airspeed gets up to around 125 kt indicated,
throttle back to 5,000 rpm the airplane settles back to 120 kt indicated
(where it stays). Don't know if its some weird aerodynamic thing but it
seems
by pushing it over its normal cruise speed first then letting it settle
back
to its own cruise speed, you get a few knots more than if you were to let
it
make its own way up.
I haven't taken any scientific measurements just an observation of the ASI.
Anyone else found this? Any ideas?<
This effect is not unique to the Europa. I have seen it on C130's and
B747's. It tends to happen around the flatter sections of the drag curve
where small changes in speed require minimal changes in power. The
technique of climbing slightly above the cruise altitude and using the
potential energy to ensure cruise speed is achieved is sometimes used when
working close to the maximum ceiling.
Nigel Charles
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