On Jul 5, 1:09*pm, jcarlyle wrote:
Andy, you're a Western USA pilot with an ASW-28, aren't you? The OP is
an Eastern USA pilot - he might be better off using 10 kts less for
each condition than you do (adjusting downwards for his ship, too, if
needed). Also, I fly best L/D in the East in my LS8 when things get
desperate, as quite often we're in 0 sink conditions. Flying at
MacCready 1 at 70 kts like you would be a great way to outland, here.

-John

On Jul 5, 12:31 pm, Andy wrote:



I tend to fly three speeds - 80-85 knots for "normal" conditions,
90-95 knots if it is super strong and consistent with clouds and
streeting and 70-75 knots if it is weak, I need a long glide or I am
low (this is all dry - add 5-10 knots for water). This is pretty
consistent for most racing pilots I know. Best L/D for my ship is 60
knots so there is no point in ever flying less than 70 (McCready 1).
There just isn't that much difference in glide angle (L/D of 45
instead of 47 on the factory polar) so slowing down by the additional
15% is just giving speed away. Similarly, the knee in the polar is
somewhere around 85 knots, so it has to be really strong to motivate
me give away altitude at a higher rate.

Fair point.

I fly an ASW-27B in the west today, but much of my early career
(1974-85) was flying in the mid-atlantic and northeast.

I agree that if you are flying in 1-2 knot lift in the east you will
cruise slower than for 4-5 knots in the west - for a whole bunch of
reasons. That said, I don't think you gain much flying best L/D (in
my ship at least) versus Mc=1.0. Two points on L/D just isn't worth
the speed loss. And if I'm not mistaken, part of the question was
about flying even slower than best L/D (50 kts was mentioned). I've
come to believe that how you handle "survival mode" is key to doing
well on sketchy days. Part of that is not giving up - keep making
forward progress while you search for the best available lift.

9B