Originally Posted by
andre127
Thanks to all!!
So I pretty much understood that yes, it will cruise at 100kts only empty and alone and yes I can cruise at 90 with two light pax (well two on) and 3/4-half tank but it seem to push a little.
at 11:20 min of the Mona's video in fact I can see 90kts (which is 93 of tas) at 1500ft and 92% on the MLI and later 73kts at 100% at 7500, so around 85 tas. I think that they were pushing to reach Venice before the night. Of course I can't see if they were flying leveled or in a light climb or descent, so mine are only assumptions.
So the typical mission which is for me 220 nm can be done but it will take around 2h30'-2h40' where an r44 will do that in 2 hours. But al least it can be done talking about fuel and reasonable real life wind.
can be said 80% 80kts, 90% 90kts, low and half loaded and 2 onboard?
An other question come in my mind: If you have to fly over water for 20/30 min during this mission, do you necessarily wear floats? I know that would be better for sure but I don't know how helicopter world thinks about that. I'm in the fixed wing world as you can imagine (+3000hours, but around 3hrs in heli) and with a light plane like a cirrus, for example, I would certainly have no problem to do that flight with an emergency dinghy (and sometimes without). But since there's no space in a cabri for a dinghy and since it's an helicopter I would like to have your opinion.
By the way all the 3hrs are In a r22, so it scares me a little, not when flying to be true (it's really nice to fly) but more when reading... And I think I will enjoy more, in a long term, the no mast bumping option of the cabri and the newer design.
thanks again
Andrea
Flying over water depends on how close you are to the shore. Here in The States if you are beyond power-off glide distance from the shore you need some kind of flotation and pyrotechnic signaling device (I used to wear a pouch style life vest around my waist with a flare gun in my pocket).
Though, to be frank, flying over water as regularly as I did, I really with my R22 had floats.