Thanks for the input. I am getting more comfortable hearing your thoughts.
Flyeyes...or anybody else...please tell me about the power settings you use in the pattern. My transition training taught a very stable approach as follows....Climb out was 120 mph and full throttle. Downwind was whatever speed the airplane wanted to carry in level flight at 2100 rpm. At midfield downwind I was taught to reduce to idle while holding altitude, trim for slightly nose up, let the speed bleed off into flaps extended range, 10 degress flaps, drop to 85 mph and establish a postive rate of decent. The sink rate then becomes too high and you arrest that sink with a few hundred rpm. On the O-320 6A that came out to be 1100 rpm or so and I was all set up for 500-600 fpm sink. Holding 85 mph and a steady sink I would turn base and final adding more flaps on each. Throttle was sometimes required to arrest the sink. Eventually the throttle went to idle. I had to get used to the sight picture of putting the nose on the numbers and holding it. As I cam into ground effect I would arrest the sink rate with throttle or elevator as needed. Then looking out the side window I would have a much better view of how high I was and was able to grease at least 1 landing and was proud of most of the others which felt like very soft stable landings.
How would this all play out with a CS? I assume quite similar if you have the prop all the way in and just throttle for desired rpm. Or is there some magical play with prop angle to arrest sink rate or accel or lose speed?
In general, you leave the prop control alone and make smaller and smoother throttle corrections with the CS prop than with the FP.
For me, I leave the prop set for cruise (usually around 2300 RPM) as I enter the pattern, slowly reducing throttle into the high teens (manifold pressure) for around 135 KIAS on the 45. I continue to throttle back into the low teens over 10 seconds or so to slow down to or below flap speed abeam the numbers.
Once you get below a certain throttle setting (depending on speed) the RPM begins to decay as the prop hits the low pitch stop and the engine power isn't enough to maintain RPM. This is referred to as "below the governing range." The prop in this range is generating maximum drag, as the blades are turned pretty much sideways to the airstream. The airplane will descend or accelerate very quickly here.
While at or below the bottom of the governing range (usually on base) I slowly ease the prop control all the way forward to maximize available drag, and maximized available power if I need to go around.
A small amount of throttle will speed up the prop to the governed RPM, but more importantly, the blades will twist to keep the RPMs from increasing. This immediately reduces drag. You can control speed very precisely over a pretty significant range when slow without having to pitch the airplane up or down much. Small, smooth throttle changes are more important with a CS prop, because the airplane responds much more quickly to throttle movement.
You can pretty much point the airplane at the end of the runway and expect to get there, even if you start a little high or fast.
The CS prop lets you vary the amount of drag almost instantaneously, so throttle reductions in the flare need to be small and or slow, lest the ground jump up and smite you.
As soon as the mains touch (I usually aim for a tail-low wheel landing) any remaining throttle is pulled all the way off, and the airplane sits right down.
Power-Off approaches are much steeper that with a FP cruise prop, but still allow precise landings, like any draggy airplane. If you find you are too draggy and don't have power available (i.e. a dead stick landing) as long as the prop is windmilling and you have oil pressure you can pull the prop control back top reduce drag.
It's really easier than it sounds
this might give you a sense although you can't see the you can hear the power changes
