C182 power settings

[insertusernamehere]

Gday everyone!

I'm looking at doing a 182 check ride, and was wondering what sorts of power setting combinations people use in the climb, cruise, etc. Also, what sort speed does it TAS out at? Other things, like leaning tips and fuel flow rates, infact, just general tips would be very helpful.

I know that I will learn this once doing the check, but I'd like to get a few different opinions and ideas before I do sit in the seat... In doing so, I hope it will save me some dosh!

In any case, everybody learns different things. And some advice from different sources would be great!

rgds,
IUNH

[Islander Jock]

Been a while since I flew a 182 but from memory used the following:

Climb: 25" 2500 RPM
Cruise: 23" 2400 RPM
Adjust mixture to 50 deg rich of peak EGT in the cruise.

When trimmed in the cruise with cowl flaps closed you should get a 125 Knot TAS and about 45 litres per hour.

Try and get your hands on the particular aircraft manual for more definate figures.

[piontyendforward]

Is it an 0-470L or a R or a S model engine? Could be a O-470U or an IO-540.

Some redline at 2700, the U at 2400 the Lycoming ? have not flown one so dont know.

The R and S model engine
Full throttle and 2450 rpm in the climb.
max recommended cruise 23" and 2450

The U model engine
Full throttle and Full RPM (2400)
23" and 2400

The Flight manual has all the details, but note they very different depending on the engine installed.

[185skywagon]

all conty 470's except the U&A, 2600 rpm max 230hp.
max climb full throttle 2600 rpm(no time limit), cruise climb 24" 2450 rpm(top of green). cruise up to top of the green 24" 2450 rpm(will burn around 50-58 LPH). 65%cruise 23"-24" & 2200 rpm (45-48 LPH).

[piontyendforward]

O-470U 2400 rpm
O-470A 2600 rpm
O-470J 2550 rpm

A,J,R 23" MP max crz

[185skywagon]

pointy,
i stand corrected. i thought the A was 225 hp at 2550rpm.
on reflection you are also right about the 23" top of green.

[piontyendforward]

Both the A and J are 225 hp as fitted to the 180, The A is 2600 rpm and the J 2550 rpm. However I am not sure either was fitted to the 182. Just checked the flight manual and I was wrong about the A MP limit. It in Crz 24" the rest are 23"

The K replaced both the A and the J on the 180, and the L was fitted to the early 182, which is a K with a different induction system to allow for the nose wheel.

[Capt Fathom]

By now, our original poster is totally confused :confused:, and is going to fly a C172 instead! :ouch:

[185skywagon]

yeah righto, if you go for 65%(say 23" 2300rpm)power in an older 182(preQ model), you should get around 125 ktas at 48 LPH.
1.use C172 speeds for approach ie 55-65 kt approach. most people get into trouble trying to approach too fast when they step up into 182 and higher types. with full flap(40deg)and too fast eg 70kts, the only thing you will get on the ground, is the nosewheel. keep it slow. you will still have an approx 10kts over stall speed if you approach at 55 kts. there is plenty of margin there.
remeber to flare properly, as the firewall is not that strong in the 182. nosewheel first landing will easily buckle the firewall. this is expensive. alway taxy with full backstick on rough strips. even a dry cowpat can cause damge to the firewall.

2.cruise climb around 85-95 kt(23"2450 rpm). pay close attention to cowl flaps and cylinder temps. cowl flaps are best left alone and open till established in the cruise.

3.power on descent. i usually bring the rpm back to 2100-2200 rpm and keep the manifold press up around 22-23". if you reduce the MP about an inch for every 1000 feet of descent, cooling shouldn't be a problem and you should arrive in the circut with around 15-18 " of MP.

4.use of full flap in older 182(40 Deg). i have seen quite a few people who won't use full flap or limit it to 30 deg in case they have to do a go-around. full flap with some back trim and full power will cause quite a pitch up and lots of forward control pressure is required to stop it. it is not unmanageable though.
find an instructor who actually has a fair bit of 182 time, not someone who is not much more experienced than you are at present. full flap is there to be used and will make for some very short landing rolls once you master it.
the 182 is a great allrounder. i hope you enjoy it.

[Mr Garrison]

For initial climbout

FULL Throttle and FULL Fine pitch to 500'
then power back to 23" and RPM to top of green

Cruise power settings - refer to manual....its about 22"/2300RPM.

For descent its about 18-19" with about 2200/2300RPM, a lower RPM is preferable due to less noise and less mechanical wear on engine and propeller. Don't worry about the decrease in 1" per 1000' - thats for bigger bore engines such as those found in chieftains and C210's.

In the circuit you want to have about 21"/2200RPM for about 110KIAS on downwind. Abeam the threshold - deploy 10 degree of flap and trim. About 5 seconds before your turn onto base reduce power to about 15"/2200RPM.

Now use the power to control your height on base and when on final, use the power to control your speed. Remember to put the pitch back to fully fine at about 300'.


Mr G :ok:

[insertusernamehere]

wow, I was starting to go a little cross eyed there for a moment!

Thanks to all who posted... even those who seem to speak a different language!

I will check the POH when I get one, just wanted to get a rough idea of what I was going to be looking at.

The particular company I had in mind at which to do my check ride has a rather new fleet, and claims a TAS of 145. I guess the only way to know is to have a bit of a read and then have a bit of a fly!

Thanks again to everyone for your replies, and if there are any others out there who care to add anything, feel free.

I was taught that when flying an arrow, use higher manifold pressure, and lower RPM, as less noise and less wear and tear. Would that translate onto the 182 as well?

rgds,
IUNH

[Icarus2001]

Aviation is one of those areas of human activity that attracts, well "special" people. Everyone has an opinion but you really do need to see what the manufacturer has to say about how they would like their aircraft operated.

If you are doing a "check ride" with a particular company can I suggest you set aside one hour minimum to sit in the aircraft on a day before you intend to fly it. Look in to everything you can. READ the POH carefully. Where is the alternate static source? Where is the hydraulic resevoir etc. READ the cruise power charts. Most companies teach "standard" settings for ease of instruction such as 25'/2500rpm in the climb etc but be aware what the manufacturer says.

The C182 is a very useful aircraft as it can carry a good load, although the "new" ones have lost a little with the avionics weight penalty.

You did not mention if you meant the RG or not.

Here is a link to the Cessna site:http://skylane.cessna.com/spec_perf.chtml

[Creampuff]

As well as heeding Icarus2001’s wise advice, I suggest you read John Deakin’s four ‘Pelican’s Perch’ articles entitled “Where Should I Run My Engine?”, as well as “Lycoming Talks About LOP”, “Detonation Myths”, “Lead In Hogwash”, “The Whyalla Report – Junk Science?” and “FLYING’s Report on Whyalla”.

An index of his articles is here: http://www.avweb.com/news/columns/182146-1.html

[185skywagon]

IUNH,
didn't realise you would be in a very late model 182. disregard everything i have written. have flown one once. like Creampuff says, sit in it and get familiar with the layout before you do anything. you should be able to use the same sort of speeds as the old ones. i think that the cruise speeds are a bit optimistic for the new ones, and they are heavy compared to the old ones.
good luck.
there are also a lot fuel drain points on the new ones about 12 i think. better get familiar with those as well.

[7gcbc]

dunno, I agree about the "keep nose off" , just hork the trim on the landing, I flew the two 182's at curtis at camden last few weeks and they are both very nice.

The newer one has too many LCD displays for me, :D however the older one settles into a cruise at 145-148 easily at 23/24. The newer one is shy a few knots at 142- ish or there abouts, maybe its just my trim :)


also , watch the sink at idle on approach if four-up, you might want to keep just above 15-17 MP just to have check it.

both very nice aircraft.

cheers

7gcbc

<edit> actually, the best way to know the plane is to just go and fly it, and have fun, her stall is bengn, her rudder is fab, the newer ones won't come down at all (they floaaaat!) at all unless you have flap, and she sideslips (without flap) wonderfully!


what can i say about the fuel drains, except add 2 hours to your pre-flight walkaround.........:uhoh:

[185skywagon]

would love to get an old beside a new one in cruise to see if they really do go that fast. i can't believe that something with the same HP but heavier would true out faster. any experience???
my static system stuffs up all the time due to broken sumps from rough strips, you know when it does, as you will see 5-10kts greater IAS for certain power settings.

[onthedials]

The Cessna 182S (the first variant of the "new" Cessna 182) which I fly (naturally aspirated, IO-540, 3-blade Mac prop) routinely gets 137 KTAS at 9 or 10,000 feet with 2270 rpm and 19.5-20 inches MP and mixture 75 degrees rich of peak EGT. Fuel consumption at this setting should be around 42 litres per hour and the cabin noise is reduced with this and further RPM reduction. It will go faster (up to 142 KTAS in my experience) , but uses a lot more fuel to get those few extra knots. The 182T (next model) does even better.

According to the book, the optimum speed/altitude for the 182S is 6,000 feet and 140 KTAS; however the cruise settings in the book are all based on mixture set at peak EGT. The engine runs very smoothly at peak EGT and lean of peak, although the TAS falls off quickly as the mixture is leaned beyond the peak. We do not operate intentionally lean of peak because the resulting airspeeds are too slow and the procedure is not recommended by Cessna or Lycoming.

Operating richer than peak EGT greatly improves performance, but too much richer will burn up a lot of fuel. The book specifies 125 degrees rich for best power. I find that 75 degrees rich gives satisfactory speed increase and only moderate fuel consumption increase.

Particularly when light, it is easy to do better than the numbers in the book. When the aeroplane is at maximum weight, you may need another 0.5 inch MP to get the figures I quoted at the start.

The new fuel injection system demands careful adjustment of the mixture setting. If you are used to previous carburetted models you may find it surprising just what a diference even a small adjustment of the mixture setting makes on the 182S/182T. Leaning on the ground is recommended as well as leaning in the climb. The relevant procedures are set out in the book (pp 4-25 to 4-28). Leaning in the climb should be done with an eye on the CHT - I have found that 16gph is often a better setting than the 15gph specified in the warmer Australian climate. The engine is prone to spark plug fouling if left set at full rich when idling on the ground. High altitude take-offs such as at Armidale NSW require leaning before takeoff. There are fuel flow numbers for maximum power marked on the panel and these should be set just prior to rolling in a full throttle runup.

The fuel capacity of roughly 330 litres allows flexibility in loading and power settings, but if there are 3 or 4 adults on board the max landing weight of 2950 pounds can be exceeded without careful planning. The MTOW is 3100 pounds and you are allowed another 10 on the ramp.

The earlier comments about becoming familiar with the aircraft are very apt. It is a very different aeroplane from the previous 182, particularly if you are making long cross-country flights. I strongly recommend close study of the flight manual (it is available from Cessna as a paper back "Information Manual"). The autopilot, in particular, may appear very simple from the cockpit but to use it properly you really must understand the correct procedures and limitations. A UK 182S crashed after takeoff because the pilot did not reset the elevator trim after inadvertant engagement of the A/P on the ground caused the trim system to run.

Landings can be made with any flap setting, but if it is windy or involves significant cross-wind I find it much easier to limit the flap to the second stage. It is also easier to keep the nose wheel up in the flare when landing with less than full flap. It is essential to properly hold off the nose in the flare; the Lycoming engine and 3-blade prop make the aeroplane very heavy in the nose, and even more so if there are no rear seat passengers. Proper trim settings after flap extension on final will help a lot, but be fully prepared to re-trim if you need to go around. Take-off runs are appreciably reduced with one stage of flap.

I think that the speed advantage over the previous 182 models comes mostly from the engine cowl and prop. The 182T received some further aerodynamic clean-up including the air filter housing, cabin and fuselage steps which account for the few extra knots it can can produce over the 182S.

Bear in mind that this all relates to a naturally aspirated new 182. If it is a T182T (turbo charged new 182) then much will be different again.

[insertusernamehere]

gday all,

I did a check ride in a 182S. Onthedials, you are OnTheMark. baaahhh hahahaha... /sigh/...

I played around with the mixture settings too. I was TASing out at 139/140 at 23/2300 at 2500ft. 125 deg rich burns a LOT more fuel than peak EGT, it was really quite surprising to see how little the mixture control was required to be moved too, just as you say. Thankyou for posting.

I really did enjoy the plane though. Very smooth and lots of grunt! But it really likes the trim!

I also purchased a copy of the POH and will study that in more detail than what I have already.

Thankyou very much for your replies.

rgds
iunh

[Capt W E Johns]

I took some time this week to measure some performance data on the AEIO-540 L1B5 engine. The numbers are quite interesting and may help you choose an appropriate configuration for your purposes (range/best TAS/engine managment). Of course, your airframe will considerably affect your performance but these might be a good starting point.

The figures can be found here:
http://wal.t.tripod.com/aeio540l1b5.htm

Or some raw data:

BEST TAS CONFIGURATION: 2800' (press alt), 27.3" MAP, 2650RPM, 70litres/hr, 166kts TAS.

BEST RANGE CONFIGURATION
8800' (press alt), 21.9" MAP, 1800RPM, 40litres/hr, 125kts TAS.

[Tinstaafl]

You should mention the OAT at those Press. Hts. DH is the parameter that needs to be considered.

[Capt W E Johns]

8800' press alt was 5.5 degs C. I left the temp recordings in the office, but through all altitudes they averaged about ISA + 6. Roughly put, DA = PA + 800 that day.