Ninety Knots ? It?s Never Too Early!

Ironflight · #1 06-13-2010, 10:34 AM

I got our Oshkosh 2010 NOTAM book in the mail yesterday, which was a good reminder that it is never too early to go out and start flying around at 90 knots for awhile. I’d bet that most RV’ers don’t’ go out and do this near often enough – and many don’t think about it until they are coming up on Ripon during their trek to Oshkosh. Ninety Knots is the magic number on the “Low Road” for the Fisk Arrival (and while some argue that they can just speed up and take the “High road”, that is not the interpretation given before by the FAA – which means you can be cited for “Careless and Reckless” if you ignore the NOTAM – and let’s face it, Oshkosh is CRAWLING with Feds!), and RV’s are very capable of flying that speed, so it’s a good idea to make sure the pilot is as well.

I went out for my annual simulation this morning and tooled along our local countryside with 85 degree OAT’s and 90 on the speed tape. It REALLY feels slow if you haven’t done it for awhile. It’s probably a good idea to go to altitude and slow down from 90 to the stall a few times, so you realize just how much margin you have at 90 – very comforting, as a matter of fact. I think that the trickiest part of the arrival is not maintaining the speed – it is maintaining the speed with my eyes OUTSIDE the cockpit. RV’s are slippery enough that a small power or pitch change is going to make a difference, and at peak traffic times on the arrival, the LAST place you want your eyes is the on the panel.

So I like to go out and hit the speed, then stop looking inside and fly with my eyes out for a couple of minutes – then glance back in to see how well I did on airspeed and altitude. It can be sobering, and lead to more practice. I’ll be honest, my biggest concern about flying in to Oshkosh are the folks who fly about 50 hours a year – and half of that is going to, and returning from, Oshkosh. It takes some measure of skill to fly precisely, and precision is required to fit in on the road from Ripon to Fisk. And even if you’re not going to Oshkosh, there’s no harm in brushing up your skills for the next time you have to follow a Cub in the traffic pattern at your home field…:

Paul

IowaRV9Dreamer · #2 06-13-2010, 11:32 AM

Thanks for posting this Paul. I'm planning my first flight to OSH this year... and 90 kts for me is somewhere between cruise and WOT. So thanks for reminding everyone so I won't get run over by an RV

I'll have to go practice and see if I can get used to flying that fast!

jbDC9 · #3 06-13-2010, 12:48 PM

Practicing holding 'er steady at 90 kts is a great idea, but my experience last year shows it might be prudent to practice even a bit slower; I got stuck behind a Kitfox who was waffling along somewhere around 70 kts. But wait, it gets better! I was doing fine in trail behind him doing the left hand pattern to 18... we're heading east along the road approaching the turn point for the downwind leg. The Kitfox just kept puttering along eastbound, headed for the lake... he just had no freakin' clue as to what was going on. Eventually he meandered northward on a sort-of downwind out by the lake.

Like Paul said, it's guys like this that worry me.

plehrke · #4 06-13-2010, 01:28 PM

I started practicing 90 kts last week. I am located at an airport under a Class B right next to the inner circle and wedge next to a Class D so I need to fly 10 miles at 1000 agl to get to the airport. Starting in June after many of my flights, I start practicing 90 kts for that last 10 nm at 1000 agl. Gets me plenty ready for OSH.

Mike D · #5 06-13-2010, 05:05 PM

I started doing this back a few months to get Canh (the wife) and I used to flying that slow. I don?t want her worrying we are going to fall out of the air and I need the practice. I will have to be honest and say if I was heading into OSH at 70kts, I would be nervous cause it feels like you are not even moving. I come over the fence faster than that.

painless · #6 06-13-2010, 05:16 PM

I would also suggest practicing keeping your patterns tight as well.

tomwebster · #7 06-13-2010, 07:08 PM

I have been slow flying in the pattern
and found I like to extend some flap because
we have some LSA and antique aircraft at our
airport plus the thought of OSH coming up.
I thought 20 degrees would be best but have
found that 10 degrees works better for me.
It also gives me a better sight picture of traffic
in the pattern.

How much flap deployment have others used for
slow flight, if any?

Thanks, Tom

gasman · #8 06-14-2010, 03:12 AM

Go and practice using one notch of flaps and fly at 61 kts (70 mph). Then you will be ready for 90 kts (103 mph) with no problem.

plehrke · #9 06-14-2010, 04:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gasman

One notch of flaps and fly at 70 mph. Then you will be ready for 90 mph with no problem.

NOTAM is 90 kts (not mph)

Geico266 · #10 06-14-2010, 06:27 AM

Excellant thread Paul! It's never too early!

Here is the link for anyone to order the NOTAM. You must have a copy in your plane!

https://secure.eaa.org/airventure/notam_request.html

I would just like to add a few points to those who may be new to flying into OSH.
1. Don't be intimidated, be prepared.
2. Do not do a manuver that you have not practiced in the last 30 days. You are PIC.
3. Plan to enter Ripon at 7:45 - 8:00am, there is VERY LITTLE traffic early in the AM. This is the best kept "secret" of flying into OSH.
4. There is NOTHING like flying into OSH. Put it on your bucket list and do it!