Speedbrakes for a Bonanza: Opinions?

I have 100 mph gear speed on my 1946 Johnson Rocket -- I have found the
best way to bleed off speed is to do the 360 overhead approach, where
you overfly the runway, on desired runway heading, at pattern altitude
and "break" to the downwind (assuming that nobody is already on
downwind), reducing throttle as speed bleeds off. i hit gear speed about
the 180 degree point, drop the gear, drop flaps even with the TD point
and continue with a short base and final.

If you do it right, you won't have to add any power and can make the
numbers with a nice 3-pointer. This also works great in a T-34.

Gee Orval, you must be a lot fun for ATC at a busy controled field.



I gotta ask, is this really that tough on ATC? I have been vectored in to
busy airports on more than one occassion in almost exactly the same pattern.
They brought me in over the field at 1500 AGL from whatever direction, then
turned me straight into the downwind (there never is anyone flying the
pattern at these fields) then called my base.

Worked well for everyone.

They brought me in over the field at 1500 AGL from whatever direction,
then turned me straight into the downwind (there never is anyone flying
the pattern at these fields) then called my base.

A lot of the high-traffic urban airports will want to get you into their
airliner flow a long ways out. But it varies a lot.

- Mark

To be fair, Mark, the speedbrakes from Precision Flight are US $4,100,
plus 35 hours installation labor, not 15k. However, I have learned
enough in the last few days to agree in principle with your point.

BTW, this Bonanza is equipped with TKS Weeping Wing, but the previous
owner shows me an invoice that was higher than 15k for that mod.

Fair enough. I was just guessing as I have neither mod.

- Mark

In article ,
Frank Stutzman wrote:

Orval Fairbairn wrote:


I have 100 mph gear speed on my 1946 Johnson Rocket -- I have found the
best way to bleed off speed is to do the 360 overhead approach, where
you overfly the runway, on desired runway heading, at pattern altitude
and "break" to the downwind (assuming that nobody is already on
downwind), reducing throttle as speed bleeds off. i hit gear speed about
the 180 degree point, drop the gear, drop flaps even with the TD point
and continue with a short base and final.

If you do it right, you won't have to add any power and can make the
numbers with a nice 3-pointer. This also works great in a T-34.

Gee Orval, you must be a lot fun for ATC at a busy controled field.

Its been a long time, but I don't remember you ever doing that when you
flew in and out of Palo Alto.



I usually didn't arrive from the south and had not really discovered the
efficiency of the 360 overhead at that time. Reid-Hillview would
sometimes request a 360 overhead, but I never really perfected it until
I moved to Spruce Creek and got into formation flying.

It really works!

Peter,

If true, this would be an excellent way to maintain engine health.


IF (big IF) you subscribe to the shock cooling theory, I guess it might
make sense. Then again, you can drop your gear at 154 knots. That's
your speedbrake right there.

--
Thomas Borchert (EDDH)

Peter R. wrote:
Dave Butler ) wrote:


One more thing: I should have added that they are vacuum powered, so put an
additional load on your vacuum pump.


Really? Are they the first generation? The Precision Flight
speedbrakes being sold now are driven by electricity.

Yes, really. I don't know what generation. I think they were installed early in
our plane's life, which would have been in the 80s. Didn't know there were
electrical ones.

Dave

Matt Barrow wrote:

What's your cruise speed? :~)

Well, the earliest Bonanzas are not the fastest of the Bonanza fleet by
any stretch. Probably pretty good for their time (1949 in my case),
though.

To answer your question, though, depends upon wether the FEDS are
listening or not. I am restricted by an AD on the ruddervators that gives
me a Vno of 125 KIAS and I would never violate that. Nope, never, not me!
Before the AD came out I would usually figure my cruise speed was about
140 KIAS. Still pretty pokey for a Bonanza, but not bad considering that
every newer Bonanza that was faster was also burning a lot more fuel than
my 10 gph.

There is a method of compliance to remove the AD. I havn't bothered,
though. Most of my flying is either down low and slow or up high and
fast. At about 14,000 feet full throttle gives me right at 125 knots
indicated.


--
Frank Stutzman
Bonanza N494B "Hula Girl"
Hood River, OR

"Frank Stutzman" wrote in message
...
Matt Barrow wrote:

What's your cruise speed? :~)

Well, the earliest Bonanzas are not the fastest of the Bonanza fleet by
any stretch. Probably pretty good for their time (1949 in my case),
though.

To answer your question, though, depends upon wether the FEDS are
listening or not. I am restricted by an AD on the ruddervators that gives
me a Vno of 125 KIAS and I would never violate that. Nope, never, not me!
Before the AD came out I would usually figure my cruise speed was about
140 KIAS. Still pretty pokey for a Bonanza, but not bad considering that
every newer Bonanza that was faster was also burning a lot more fuel than
my 10 gph.

There is a method of compliance to remove the AD. I havn't bothered,
though. Most of my flying is either down low and slow or up high and
fast. At about 14,000 feet full throttle gives me right at 125 knots
indicated.


--
Frank Stutzman
Bonanza N494B "Hula Girl"
Hood River, OR

Pretty good for that era and the age of your bird. A 157kt gear speed would
be frivolous.

Peter, though, is flying a TN V35 and will probably cruise about 180-195, so
his request for info about speed brakes is very legitimate. It's not hard at
all to lose 25-40 kts prior to dumping the gear and letting that bleed off
the rest of excess speed.
--
Matt
---------------------
Matthew W. Barrow
Site-Fill Homes, LLC.
Montrose, CO

Dave Butler ) wrote:

Peter R. wrote:
Dave Butler ) wrote:


One more thing: I should have added that they are vacuum powered, so put an
additional load on your vacuum pump.


Really? Are they the first generation? The Precision Flight
speedbrakes being sold now are driven by electricity.

Yes, really. I don't know what generation.

That "Really?" wasn't meant as a question of your fact; rather it was
simply an incredulous "Wow! Vacuum powered? That's gotta be a lot of
extra demand on the vacuum system."

Didn't know there were electrical ones.

Just goes to show you that occasionally some technological advances do
make their way into mainstream over twenty years time.


--
Peter

Frank Stutzman ) wrote:

Still pretty pokey for a Bonanza, but not bad considering that
every newer Bonanza that was faster was also burning a lot more fuel than
my 10 gph.

For comparison, my turbo-normalized V35 with the prior engine burned
about 15.5 gph at wide open throttle, 75 degrees LOP, at 185 kts TAS up
around 13,000 ft cruise (standard temperature or warmer).

This works out to approximately 50% more fuel burned for only about 48%
more airspeed (assuming the 125 kts quoted in your post).

I am curious if the new engine will add a few kts more since all
tolerances will be factory new or better (how's that for regurgitating
the marketing literature?).

--
Peter