Robin R2100A
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Amsterdam
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R2160 or R2120? For general touring or for aerobatics too?
I fly the R2160 a lot for Sportsman-level aerobatics and it's fine for that. You will not win those competitions but a position in the middle of the pack is certainly possible. (Hey, and you have a chance of winning the BAeA Cessna trophy in this aircraft - something you can't do in a Pitts or Extra.)
It's also a decent VFR tourer with almost four hours endurance, using about 30 lph for 110 knots IAS or so. Logically laid out panel, 30 kg baggage limit. The seats are OK but not as comfy as, say, those of a DA40.
Mixture control and induction system is a bit crude, and leaning for best power (max RPM) is the best you can do - lean just a hair further and the engine will start running rough. There are no specific instructions or performance figures for best economy even.
Be careful with flapless landings, as it's too easy to get into a tailstrike that way. If you have to do flapless, don't hold off too much but touch down firmly with a relatively high airspeed.
Can't find any real vices with them. On the other hand, if my interest was strictly limited to touring, there are plenty two-seaters (both CofA and experimental/homebuilt) out there with a Rotax 912/912S/914 up front. These will offer nearly the same (sometimes even better) touring performance but for about half the fuel flow. And as these can run on Mogas, that means about a quarter the fuel cost.
I fly the R2160 a lot for Sportsman-level aerobatics and it's fine for that. You will not win those competitions but a position in the middle of the pack is certainly possible. (Hey, and you have a chance of winning the BAeA Cessna trophy in this aircraft - something you can't do in a Pitts or Extra.)
It's also a decent VFR tourer with almost four hours endurance, using about 30 lph for 110 knots IAS or so. Logically laid out panel, 30 kg baggage limit. The seats are OK but not as comfy as, say, those of a DA40.
Mixture control and induction system is a bit crude, and leaning for best power (max RPM) is the best you can do - lean just a hair further and the engine will start running rough. There are no specific instructions or performance figures for best economy even.
Be careful with flapless landings, as it's too easy to get into a tailstrike that way. If you have to do flapless, don't hold off too much but touch down firmly with a relatively high airspeed.
Can't find any real vices with them. On the other hand, if my interest was strictly limited to touring, there are plenty two-seaters (both CofA and experimental/homebuilt) out there with a Rotax 912/912S/914 up front. These will offer nearly the same (sometimes even better) touring performance but for about half the fuel flow. And as these can run on Mogas, that means about a quarter the fuel cost.
