Calculating the best angle of climb speed

[Guru8904]

Hi,

I fly the Grob G115 TA. I am looking for help to calculate the best angle of climb speed for a short field take-off. There is nothing given in the POH. Thanks.

[barit1]

Do your own tests. Fly a series of climbs at different IAS; note the ROC for each climb. To be all pure, make note of OAT, pressure altitude etc. as well.

Enter IAS and ROC points as x-y pairs in a spreadsheet.

Then convert each IAS to ft./min. so speed units are the same as ROC.

Then divide each ROC by its associated IAS; you get a series of climb gradients. find the most favorable one, and the associated IAS is the one you want.

You can even plot the points (gradient vs IAS) to make a pretty graph.

[Guru8904]

Thanks a lot, barit, I'll try that.

[hawk37]

Here's a great article on how to do it, this gentleman John Lowry knows his physics and his English.

The Bootstrap Approach to Aircraft Performance<br>(Part One — Fixed-Pitch Propeller Airplanes)

I read it 10 years ago and was very impressed. Hawk

[rapidshot]

As an initial estimate most propeller airplanes have a best angle climb of speed about 85-90% of the best rate of climb speed.

[Guru8904]

Thanks, everyone, for your inputs. It helped a lot.