Gliding with the prop stopped
After a half an hour of dancing in the cumulus this afternoon, I had a few thousand feet to loose. After a suitable engine cooldown, I decided to glide down. It had been a long time since I have actually stopped the prop (on a single). While gliding the C-150 (fixed pitch, 48" climb prop, and standard O-200) at idle, I consistantly obtained a VSI rate of descent of 450 FPM trimmed at 60 MPH. I allowed this to settle for more than a minute, and that was the consistant rate.
I have read over the years, of changed gliding descent rates with the prop actually stopped, this is what I would try. With the mixture leaned, and the prop stopped, I glided - oh what a peaceful sound! The observed descent rate was exactly the same, at 450FPM. Again, I allowed it to settle for more than a minute at 60 MPH, and the result was consistant.
To save a really hard cooling, I startered the engine, instead of a forced windmill start. The engine was not eager to run, but did. (my runway was just off just in case).
So what thoughts do posters have about the affect of a stopped fixed pitch prop on the rate of glide descent ? Affect? No affect? Greater? Less?