best idle speed

[apkp777]

Originally Posted by Daver

Help me out here. I'm kinda new at this flyin' thang, but....

"negative ghostrider, the pattern is full"

You're not suggesting that ATC would NOT let a pilot go around IF, the pilot as PIC, thinks he may not have enough runway to land safetly and needs to go around, are you? The reply "UNABLE" comes to mind....

Although I've received some not-so-great instructions from ATC, they seem to bend over backwards to help you out.

I think I may just avoid controlled airspace

At my first engine start last Sunday, my idle was less than 500. I think I'll leave it alone for awhile and see what further testing reveals.

Dave
-9A getting close

You always have the option to do a go-around. When we talk about "landing long" in an RV, generally it's relative to it's takeoff performance. If you are fast on final, you won't be able to get Van's landing distance numbers. Take offs are easily done in 3-400 feet. Landings not so simple. Still a float in an RV 9 will still only result in using 800-1000 feet of runway.

[Bill Wightman]

Hey Steve!

I had a 360 cubic inch Lycoming with 9:1 pistons and a wood prop reliably idling at 700 rpm. Not a problem, even considering these two items (high compression and light weight prop) do not help. There's really no penalty experimenting with the engine's idle speed, and it will idle even better in flight due to the slipstream.

To find out how my engine would idle, I just backed the idle speed screw out of the way completely, then played with the throttle until I liked it. Note the throttle position, and that will get you close for a "first hack". That Catto you have should provide enough flywheel mass.

[glenn654]

I have read somewhere, (can't remember where) that you need to have your idle speed set above 500 RPMs to avoid having the impulse coupling of the mag from engaging assuming you have a mag. But my engine will not run smoothly less than 600.

YMMV,
Glenn Wilkinson

[RVbySDI]

Originally Posted by Bill Wightman

Hey Steve!

I had a 360 cubic inch Lycoming with 9:1 pistons and a wood prop reliably idling at 700 rpm. Not a problem, even considering these two items (high compression and light weight prop) do not help. There's really no penalty experimenting with the engine's idle speed, and it will idle even better in flight due to the slipstream.

To find out how my engine would idle, I just backed the idle speed screw out of the way completely, then played with the throttle until I liked it. Note the throttle position, and that will get you close for a "first hack". That Catto you have should provide enough flywheel mass.

At present I have come to the conclusion there are other issues I am needing to address that are affecting my engine's ability to idle. The major issue has been resolved when I discovered the EI was firing out of sequence and causing big time problems (all due to operator error during installation, of course that installer was me. ). Another issue has been my GRT EFIS/EIS not displaying the RPM's correctly. After talking with Sandy at GRT today, I now know I need to go into the configuration screen for the EIS and set it up to correctly read the pulses from my EI. Afterward, I think I might finally be on the track to getting idle set and the engine stabilized with its correct settings.

I did have a very nerve racking eventful 6 minute flight this past Tuesday with the engine spitting and sputtering on climb out because of the above mentioned installation errors. Now that will get your attention in a hurry! I definitely did not end that flight with the RV grin!

I am hopeful that sometime this weekend I will be able to get the engine dialed in and be in a position to have a successful "second" first flight.

[airguy]

Originally Posted by Daver

Help me out here. I'm kinda new at this flyin' thang, but....

"negative ghostrider, the pattern is full"

You're not suggesting that ATC would NOT let a pilot go around IF, the pilot as PIC, thinks he may not have enough runway to land safetly and needs to go around, are you? The reply "UNABLE" comes to mind....

Although I've received some not-so-great instructions from ATC, they seem to bend over backwards to help you out.

I think I may just avoid controlled airspace

At my first engine start last Sunday, my idle was less than 500. I think I'll leave it alone for awhile and see what further testing reveals.

Dave
-9A getting close

It's a movie quote, from "Top Gun" - he's not implying that ATC would not let you land long. That's ALWAYS the PIC's prerogative to go around if things don't look right. I think his intent was to tell you not to go any higher on your idle speed.

[apkp777]

Originally Posted by airguy

It's a movie quote, from "Top Gun" - he's not implying that ATC would not let you land long. That's ALWAYS the PIC's prerogative to go around if things don't look right. I think his intent was to tell you not to go any higher on your idle speed.

Yep!. Just know that any extra RPM coming in will extend your landing distance. Still, you will land reasonably short, just not like what you would get if you had a constant speed prop. My static RPM is <600 but on short final at 65 kts, I am still turning about 1000.