Originally Posted by
Pace
Surely your biggest chance of a failure will be at full power rather than a reduced cruise climb setting.
Do you go for a max max stress setting to get maximum climb to altitude or a reduced power setting which stresses the engine less but takes longer to climb ?
Its a juggling act ?
Pace
From the Lycoming Flyer Operating tips
Most normally aspirated engines are rated at full power
for takeoff and climb indefinitely, provided engine temperatures
and pressures are within the green arc area of the
engine instruments
Continental has similar advice in their operating manuals. Since the engine manufacturers do not advise reducing power for takeoff or climb I see no reason to sacrifice the climb performance that you get with full power to at least circuit height. I can see, especially for the bigger engines, a climb power setting would be advantageous after reaching a safe height but I climb with full power to 1000 feet in all the non turbo SEP's I fly.