>Best rate of climb, single engine is just that. Minimum drag is just that. Maximum altitude is just that. You claim to somehow magically be able to make an aircraft climb at BETTER than BEST rate of climb by achieving LESS than MINIMUM drag, and climb to HIGHER than MAXIMUM altitude.If that's the case, Boeing needs to talk to you now!!<
Wizofox
Yes I appreciate best rate of climb single engine. I appreciate Minimum drag at best rate of climb BUT I am not talking about climbing at all or minimum drag in the climb.
The reason I am NOT is the very fact that even with new aircraft where the miserly 200fpm are achieved on standard days, Many light twins may be 20 years old, be covered in hangar rash, have tired engines and the temperatures may be above standard.
Most light twins quote 200 fpm as new test aircraft, some not even that. So the point is not to climb at all but even low level to go for a single engine cruise.
With any climb you are looking at an increase in angle of attack and with an increase in angle of attack you are looking at DRAG.
Remove that drag and as I stated as fact a seneca will accelerate to near 130kts on one engine in a level cruise. Push the nose over and that 130 would increase as the aircraft traded altitude for its inherant kinetic energy.
Drop below blue line and you are into coffin corner as the drag increases dramatically and that is where the margins are very small.
The guy who does everything right establishes blue line, has the aircraft clean and still has no climb or even a descent has two choices one is to close both throttles and glide to a landing ie using kinetic energy alone to control his speed to a landing or he can reduce the drag of a climb and set up a level cruise.
Its not Magic but pure fact that a light twin will cruise for hours happily with one shut down but will not climb happily with one shut down.
The step climb works on the fact that you are dipping into Kinetic energy to add to the available power from your engine and gain some altitude.
I will give an example from the seneca.
You have one engine running your speed in level flight is 127kts (fact) you are not going down but level. Now you pitch for a climb. You still have the power of that one engine which is constant but you trade some speed for extra climb. As you pitch up the drag increases and the aircraft is now climbing with the constant engine power plus the kinetic energy. What happens is the speed starts to decay but you get a greater climb rate than you would at blue line. Allow the speed to decay from 127 kts to say 105 kts and then pitch for level flight again maintaining altitude. Slowly the speed will increase. when you are back to 127 kts go through the process again.
All I am saying here is make the plane do what it can happily do ie fly level not climb. If you cannot see that I really do not know what to say Other than I will beg to differ with you these are facts not suppositions and I am happy to demonstrate to you any time. If I am right you pay for the flight if I am wrong I pick up the bill.
Pace
Last edited by Pace; 30th May 2008 at 15:35.