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RV-10 IO-540 RPM/MAP flight ops

WingnutWick

Well Known Member
Hello,

New to the IO-540, I am familiar with flying a C/S 360 but I am looking to get the gouge on the numbers to use for climb, cruise, descent specific to an RV-10 in regards to RPM and MP. Thank you for your help.

IO-540 D4A5 with Hartzell HC-C2YR-1BFP

Thank you

Charles
 
You'll get a lot of different answers. For myself (stock -10, except for having balanced the fuel injector nozzles, stock 60 gal fuel tanks):
Takeoff 2700 rpm, full throttle.
Soon after breaking ground - rpm to 2600 (LVK is noise-sensitive)
Passing thru 1000' AGL - MP to 25", rpm to 2500, mixture leaned for FF around 15 - 17 gal/hr (higher outside temp, higher FF, to keep CHT's in line), airspeed 120kias (unless there are obstacles). I have been using flaps full up but may start using flaps in trail, after reading commentary from Vans. Obviously passing thru 5000' or so it's whatever MP I can get with full throttle.
Cruise - if I'm in a hurry I'll run full throttle at 8500' or 9500', 2500 RPM, mixture leaned for best power (about 14 gal/hr). But usually I'll climb to 9500 or 10500' or higher as needed, full throttle, 2300 RPM, mixture leaned to 10 to 30 F lean of peak, 9.9 gal/hr. (at the best power setting I'll see 172 KTAS; at the 10 gal/hr setting, 160 KTAS. Note 'funny' arithmetic: on trips between 600 - 800nm, the slower speed is "faster" as I can skip a fuel stop. We don't get air-to-air refueling!)
Descent: Just reduce throttle to keep speed under control. Enrichen the mixture as need to keep the engine warm (on my engine, I can lean until the engine produces no power, there is never any roughness).
Before landing, (below 5000'MSL), mixture rich, prop full forward, throttle as needed.
I cannot recommend enough adjusting your injector nozzles to allow LOP operation. It's easy and relatively inexpensive.
 
Pretty much the same as Bob, except:

I don't need to throttle back to 2600
I like to cruise at 2200 RPM, near peak egt, gives about 168-172 KTAS 12 gph depending on gross weight and altitude.
I don't mind going LOP, but I'd rather spend the gas to go a little faster, unless I'm just drilling around locally.
I don't have much more than a 3.0 bladder...
On descent I'll pick something between 2-500 fpm usually - depends on VFR/IFR type descent clearance and where the air gets bumpy or hot.

Seems to take about 4 gallons STTO/LO to 10K, then I flight plan at 13 gph/165KTAS.

==dave==
N102FM
 
You'll get a lot of different answers. For myself (stock -10, except for having balanced the fuel injector nozzles, stock 60 gal fuel tanks):
Takeoff 2700 rpm, full throttle.
Soon after breaking ground - rpm to 2600 (LVK is noise-sensitive)
Passing thru 1000' AGL - MP to 25", rpm to 2500, mixture leaned for FF around 15 - 17 gal/hr (higher outside temp, higher FF, to keep CHT's in line), airspeed 120kias (unless there are obstacles). I have been using flaps full up but may start using flaps in trail, after reading commentary from Vans. Obviously passing thru 5000' or so it's whatever MP I can get with full throttle.

Pretty much agree with Bob's settings except I use 130 kias for climb -especially in the summer (hotter weather). Keeping the oil and #6 cyl temps under control requires a bit more speed when it's getting hot oat

-Marc
 
TO/Climb: 2500rpm, WOT, 120 KIAS
Cruise: 2300-2400, WOT, 10.5-12.5gph, 165-170KTAS (FF varies with alt)

I find these numbers will keep you below 380F even on ISA +16C days. If your CHTs get too high during the climb, add more gas---TO can be >25gph. If they're too high during cruise, reduce the gas.

In a pinch you can increase to 2700rpm, but generally I find it adds more noise than performance (80" 2 blade Hartzell BA prop).
 
I do about what the other have listed:
- Take off everything forward
- Shortly after takeoff RPM to 2600
- Direct climb to cruise altitude at WOT, 2600 RPM, climb rate to keep the engine cool and start leaning after 4K’ or so to keep EGTs about what they were at takeoff (or less leaning if needed on a hot day).
- WOT maintained until time to descend.

A lot of ways to set up for cruise. I suggest you do a few tests at cruising altitude (8K-14K for the RV-10 seems to be a good range). I typically run just LOP as I find going too far LOP speed drops off faster than fuel burn. On cold days I now run at Peak following Mike Busch’s information about keeping CHTs above 350 degrees on Lycomings to mitigate exhaust valve sticking.

I found that RPM selection is dependent on your prop. Some provide best cruise efficiency at lower RPM, others at higher. Of late I find, for the same fuel burn, I get a knot or two more at 2500 RPM than 2400 RPM (again this is at cruise altitude).

Carl
 
Data

I climb at WOT and 2600 rpm. EFII fuel map set to start leaning around 24” MAP (~5000’). Approximately 500 fpm gives about 150 IAS to start, slowing to around 130 IAS at 9500’. Haven’t cruised much above that yet…
 
Haven't read the commentary you're referring to. Can you tell me where to find it?

It’s been posted in the last few days - a recently resurrected thread from a few years back. Both a Vans employee and Steve, the airfoil designer, said they thought climbing with flaps in trail (0) yielded a small improvement over full up (-3) flaps.

EDIT: here it is:

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jetmart View Post
Will leaving flaps in the 0 position for the entire climb to cruise altitude result in a faster climb?
Yes, but perhaps not measurably so. Good mixture management will probably have more measurable affect on total time to climb than the small change in airfoil drag.
__________________
Steve Smith
Aeronautical Engineer
 
Last edited:
I have played with flaps zero and find it yields better climb and even faster cruise above 10,000’ DA. Try both settings at different weights and altitudes, you may be surprised like I was.
 
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