PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Why the dearth of faster piston-powered planes?
Old 10th Aug 2016, 16:52
  #19 (permalink)  
abgd
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: The Wild West (UK)
Age: 45
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My relatively uninformed view is that the limiting factor on speed is primarily airframe drag, and that twins win out over singles not because they have more horses, but because they are certified with higher stall speeds so can have smaller wings.

Hybrids hold out the promise of v/stol with small wings and a faster, more efficient cruise. In-between, I can't see anything much changing. There are plenty of fast homebuilt designs available.
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