Got back to Cape Cod from Sun n Fun yesterday (Friday) afternoon.
For those readers that were there on the Display field, either with their plane, or just observing, your white socks will attest to the dirt that was loose to invade every surface that was exposed to daylight, or moonlight for that matter. Not too much wind, but everytime a plane or golfcart went by it was enough to get this fine, fine abrasive dust-like dirt airborne.
I arrived Sunday afternoon, to beat the oncoming bad weather that was going to lock in the East coast, with plans to stay at least until Saturday, but the heat and the dirt was too much. Fortunately, I had a chance Tuesday morning to get to the plane while there was a lot of dew on at, and was able to clean it up a little before the judges arrived. Once they left, that was all the cleaning it got. The morning dew on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday mornings, fixed the dirt firmly to the skin when it dried, and in some places created nice designs. Even the tears that dripped down from my eyes couldn't restore the metallic in the Claret Red finish.
However, some good did come out of this, and if you've got this far through my ramblings, you will find out why.
My plane is a -9A, IO-360 180 hp., with a 3 blade MT constant speed prop.
On the way down to Lakeland, a distance of 1041 n.m, the plane was in show condition, and we were trueing out according to the EFIS at 191 mph at 6500 feet, with a power setting of 23.5 mp, and 2350 rpm.
On the way back, at the same power setting, and at 7500 feet we were trueing out at 188 mph. In order to hit 191 mph, I had to increase power to 24 square. And to boot, being 1000 feet higher and still being able to produce the same power as the initial flight, we should have been able to go even faster at the higher altitude.
I'm sure there are no RVs flying as dirty as I was on the return trip, but I found this interesting in the speed between a clean and real dirty plane.
It was also great seeing the paint come back to life as I gave the plane it's first wash ever this morning.
Jack
close to 100 hours
For those readers that were there on the Display field, either with their plane, or just observing, your white socks will attest to the dirt that was loose to invade every surface that was exposed to daylight, or moonlight for that matter. Not too much wind, but everytime a plane or golfcart went by it was enough to get this fine, fine abrasive dust-like dirt airborne.
I arrived Sunday afternoon, to beat the oncoming bad weather that was going to lock in the East coast, with plans to stay at least until Saturday, but the heat and the dirt was too much. Fortunately, I had a chance Tuesday morning to get to the plane while there was a lot of dew on at, and was able to clean it up a little before the judges arrived. Once they left, that was all the cleaning it got. The morning dew on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday mornings, fixed the dirt firmly to the skin when it dried, and in some places created nice designs. Even the tears that dripped down from my eyes couldn't restore the metallic in the Claret Red finish.
However, some good did come out of this, and if you've got this far through my ramblings, you will find out why.
My plane is a -9A, IO-360 180 hp., with a 3 blade MT constant speed prop.
On the way down to Lakeland, a distance of 1041 n.m, the plane was in show condition, and we were trueing out according to the EFIS at 191 mph at 6500 feet, with a power setting of 23.5 mp, and 2350 rpm.
On the way back, at the same power setting, and at 7500 feet we were trueing out at 188 mph. In order to hit 191 mph, I had to increase power to 24 square. And to boot, being 1000 feet higher and still being able to produce the same power as the initial flight, we should have been able to go even faster at the higher altitude.
I'm sure there are no RVs flying as dirty as I was on the return trip, but I found this interesting in the speed between a clean and real dirty plane.
It was also great seeing the paint come back to life as I gave the plane it's first wash ever this morning.
Jack
close to 100 hours
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