Originally Posted by
Hot and Hi
Performance improves or reduces with leaning?
What do you think? Would not make a lot of sense to lean to loose performance.
One of those “don’t try this at home” tips, I guess.
No, actually not, it isn't a tip at all, just a fact. Many R22s out there that live at higher altitudes are always leaned. No big deal,
if you know what you are doing. The thing is with leaning, that without precise engine instruments, you lean until the engine starts to run rough and then go back a bit, until it runs smooth again (no RoP or LoP here). Right after "rough" comes silence. I don't want that in flight. The R22 does not have a mixture control where I can turn the knob to fine tune, either. The H300 does have it, I think. Still, even in a H300, land for leaning. It is just the way to do it, on the ground, not in flight. The one thing not to forget, is enriching the mixture again, when going down - below the altitude you landed for leaning - otherwise the donk stops. That is the reason, why leaning is not in the POH of the R22. There are different opinions on that matter, some say the effect on power is marginal. For me it was hovering or running take off. Also the spark plugs like it better and you get a cleaner combustion.
Disclaimer: Don't do it!
It is something you learn with experienced instructors, not something you try on a Sunday afternoon just for the fun of it.
And again: Full rich when going below the altitude you leaned at.
Anyway, Robinson should have gone for fuel injection a long time ago.
The R22 isn't a lot of fun to fly at higher altitudes. Around 60 knots is all you get. A bit too fast and it starts to vibrate from RBS, a bit too slow you sink. With an instructor we tried to autorotate from 12'000 ft. For some reason, it started to vibrate like a wet dog coming home. We suspected some rigging problem, because that ship had no problems at lower altitudes.
I don't like running take offs, but if you can hover at just a few centimetres, you can also take of without touching the ground.