GR8handini
I agree with all you are saying here. Especially about what I referred to as step climbs and you referred to as zoom climbs.
Yes the faster you go in level flight the more kinetic energy you have to play with hence in light draggy aircraft you do not have a lot of margin.
In jets the margin between IAS and stall at high levels is much smaller so equally are the benefits of a zoom climb but it still can be played with in higher levels where your climb rate is poor but you still have enough margin to make a difference.
Go to high and you come down regardless or your in dead mans corner.
But it is still a game of playing with drag, power and kinetic energy.
I really dont think we are that far apart. All I will say about these Graphs is that they are designed for engine out CLIMBS and that is where we are apart because I am not referring to CLIMBS at all.
I do not fault or question these graphs or what they say.
Pace