Low speed operation

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Rich
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Joined: Mon Aug 30, 2010 12:40 pm
First Name: Rich
Aircraft Type: DA40
Aircraft Registration: N40XE
Airports: S39 Prineville OR
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Low speed operation

Post by Rich »

Today was one of those days where being able to comfortably operate down in the lower end of the AS range was really helpful. We have this flight school nearby that uses Prineville for pattern work. Like many flight schools these days, they often use these absurdly long finals. So I'm behind one of their 172s today and off they go halfway to Boise before turning base. So I back off the power, put in full flaps, and follow at 60 KIAS (63 KCAS) and simply lurk at altitude on downwind waiting for them to pass me inbound. Despite having some flaky engine behavior at low power setting (trying to sort that out), it was no trick to do so and then turn base as they (at long last) passed on final inbound and I start descending. I was solo with mostly full tanks, maybe 2150 lb.

This is actually a common occurrence. This school will often intersperse airline-type approaches with more reasonable GA-type close in ones.
2002 DA40-180: MT, PowerFlow, 530W/430W, KAP140, ext. baggage, 1090 ES out, 2646 MTOW, 40gal., Surefly, Flightstream 210, Orion 600 LED, XeVision, Aspen E5
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