After a couple of weeks of adjustment and maintenance I departed KEYW. Take off
07:50, 1.3hr to KPGD where I picked up some tools and cool weather gear and
filled up with 91 octane and launched at 10:00 for KSFQ (Suffolk, VA), arriving
15:30.
I cruised at 9.5, pretty much direct, with flight following routing around the
nearly impenetrable maze of military airspace. By the way, I really advocate
Sunday as a travel day from south Florida because it is a day of rest even for
the military. I had only two short deviations from my direct routing.
I flew at 9.5 because I had a serious tailwind of 20kt. Its a good use of the
Hac-man mixture control and I was able to true 122kt at 3.5gph and 4800rpm.
Over
the years I have discovered that the leaning is not entirely effective at
altitude with WOT. It certainly leans, but to really get it lean, you have to
gradually retard the throttle until you notice a slight decrease in MAP,
increase
the throttle just enough to restore MAP, about 22in at this altitude and
monitor EGT.
By juggling the throttle and mixture controls the fuel flows can be very
accurately
controlled. I find that after several minutes of stable cruise I move the
throttle open a tiny amount while monitoring the EGTs (opening the throttle
very slightly at altitude in stable cruise will richen the mixture slightly).
I have to emphasize that this mixture trimming is accomplished by REALLY TINY
throttle
movements and close attention to MAP and EGT. Also remember there is
a perceptible time lag for the carb vacuums to stabilize. After all you are
going
to be up there for some hours and what else do you have to do?
Suffolk has 91 octane auto and a barbecue restaurant which unfortunately closed
at 16:00, but I got a coffee.
Same deal as the previous leg. Flight following got me through Washington and
NYC at 7500 this time, similar fuel flows and TAS 125-128kt. I can go a few
knots
faster by turning 5000 or 5200 but it burns 4+ and I dont think its worth
it. Torque peak is close to 4800 and piston engines are most efficient and
happy
there.
Flying over NYC on a CAVU day was impressive. That sucker is big and dense. It
doesnt make me want to live there.
The storms I had been racing blocked my route up the Connecticut River to KEEN,
my base, so I flew ENE hoping to accomplish an end run to KEEN from the north.
No such luck. Couldnt get to KPWM either so I deviated to KPSM and got tied
down just a couple of minutes before the gust front and the rain. ET 3:45.
Not a bad day of flying.
> I spent the evening and the next day with a good friend of many decades and
> flew
to KEEN, taking off at 16:00 for a 45 minute flight.
The Europa is a good cross country airplane with the long ranger aux tank. With
my straight 912 it cruises at C 182 speeds on about a third of the fuel, the
cockpit is comfortable and relatively roomy and if you have an XS you have more
room and with a 912S, better climb and cruise at altitude. I have a classic
mono with a straight 912, so I can only wish and envy.
Creighton Smith A-009
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