I just installed software 9.0 in my G3X screens. My bird is a rather low drag unit, with Hartzell Trailblazer CS prop, winglets, butt rib fillets, and fairings over anything that sticks down. (Airspeed is in MPH to appease my car driver pilot friends)
The other day I tested glide rates at 1800# gross weight and between 7500' to 3500' and determined the following: (slight wind, flying 90 degrees to a 3 mph wind)
Minimum sink airspeed: 86 mph (feet per minute) ((Prop selected coarse pitch))
Maximum glide airspeed: 111 mph (Feet per mile)
This is almost exactly as previous aircraft research data shows, that in a no wind condition, the aircraft will cover the most distance at 1.3 x minimum sink airspeed. (Wind will effect the distance greatly).
Sooooo, what do we enter into the G3X "smart glide" window? I'm going for distance, so I enter the 111 mph airspeed, which is slightly higher sink rate (710 fpm) than minimum sink, but it gets me more range. If I really need more time, I can always select 640 on the vertical speed and have a bit more time to sort out the problem. These speeds will be different than the published or flight tested VX and VY, as there is no propeller thrust vector to enter into the equation.
DAR Gary
The other day I tested glide rates at 1800# gross weight and between 7500' to 3500' and determined the following: (slight wind, flying 90 degrees to a 3 mph wind)
Minimum sink airspeed: 86 mph (feet per minute) ((Prop selected coarse pitch))
Maximum glide airspeed: 111 mph (Feet per mile)
This is almost exactly as previous aircraft research data shows, that in a no wind condition, the aircraft will cover the most distance at 1.3 x minimum sink airspeed. (Wind will effect the distance greatly).
Sooooo, what do we enter into the G3X "smart glide" window? I'm going for distance, so I enter the 111 mph airspeed, which is slightly higher sink rate (710 fpm) than minimum sink, but it gets me more range. If I really need more time, I can always select 640 on the vertical speed and have a bit more time to sort out the problem. These speeds will be different than the published or flight tested VX and VY, as there is no propeller thrust vector to enter into the equation.
DAR Gary