Flight plan

Michael
I have a Turbo Arrow III, its a 200 HP, fuel injected and GamiJectors
I usually try to fly at 12 gph unless I am needing to stretch it, I also fly
around 11,000-12000 ft and at 65% power (30' MP and 2400 RPM).
Here is my Baby
http://216.158.136.206/newplane/index.html


Michael 182 wrote:

Jeff,

What are you flying? How many degrees rich of peak do you fly? 150 TAS on 11
gph is pretty good performance.

Michael

"Jeff" wrote in message ...
This is just a question, but is gas prices there that big a difference
where you
can save 100$ by going to smaller airports?

Personally, in my plane, I have 72 gallons of fuel, flight plan 150 TAS,
usually
fly 5 hours, that gives me about 1.5 hours left. But I also have a fuel
flow
instrument that shows me my endurance and GPH. I make the least number of
stops I
can. Flew a 1445 NM trip, one way, on july 4th, stopped 3 times, longest
leg was
680 nm.

(Hankal) wrote in message ...
I am filing a flight plan 750 NM.
I have 3 fuel stops appr venly spaced. I have 48 gallon usable and burn 11 gph.
I could make this trip with only 2 stops, but choose 3. I save about $100.00 by
landing at places where fuel is less that the big airports.
Many of my pilot friends tell me that I am crazy (which may be) Once airborne
they tell me they do not land unless they need fuel.
What is you opinion? Am I to frugual or conservative.
Hank

From the fuel consumption and usable, I'm guessing you fly a Cherokee
180/Archer? If so, you can probably do better than 11gph by flying
high and leaning aggressively. On long xc's flown at 8-11k ft, I plan
for 10gph and end up getting better.

If the weather is good VFR, I would fly the 750 with a single refuel
in the middle of the trip. Use airnav.com to pick the cheapest fuel
stop.

If the weather is IFR, there are lots of decisions to be made as
Cherokees have poor IFR range. The safe bet is to make two fuel
stops. Given the right set of winds, destination forecast,
destination ILS, I would still make it with a single fuel stop.

As far as planning fuel stops. If I am not in a hurry, I will go
pretty far out of my way to patronize an FBO with cheaper fuel. For a
while Basler Flight Service at Oshkosh had $1.60 fuel, while my home
field in the Chicago suburbs (3CK) was $2.85. A few times I waited
until I had 20 gallons left, then made the 50 minute run to Basler.
While I didn't save any money, it was as close to a free flight as you
can get.

Filling at homebase: (starting with 20gallons)
30 gallons to full * $2.85 = $85.50

Filling at Basler (starting with 10 gallons after 10gph on 1hr trip)
40 gallons to full * $1.60 = $64.00
plus 10 gallons to top off back @ 3ck ($28.50) = $92.50 total

So, the trip to OSH and back cost me $7.00 more than just filling the
plane at my homebase. Hard to beat that!

-Nathan

Nathan Young wrote:
: From the fuel consumption and usable, I'm guessing you fly a Cherokee
: 180/Archer? If so, you can probably do better than 11gph by flying
: high and leaning aggressively. On long xc's flown at 8-11k ft, I plan
: for 10gph and end up getting better.

I fly a Cherokee 180, and I routinely plan for 10 gph and get
8.5-9 gph. From all I've read it's pretty much impossible to hurt the
engine with the mixture knob at power setting less than 75%, so I usually
fly at 65-70% power and lean until the power drops off slightly, but
before it's rough. It works out to be right about at peak EGT, and
consequently the 8.5-9 gph. My last trip from Ohio to Virginia had a 30
kt tailwind, so I throttled back to 55% power at 9000'. Had 135kt
groundspeed and burned 12 gal in 1.75 hours... Like cruising in a
Cessna 150, but with better climb...


: If the weather is good VFR, I would fly the 750 with a single refuel
: in the middle of the trip. Use airnav.com to pick the cheapest fuel
: stop.

Airnav rocks. Between that and DUATS to make wind-corrected
flight plans, you can almost forget all the paperwork for the PPL (j/k).

: If the weather is IFR, there are lots of decisions to be made as
: Cherokees have poor IFR range.

Actually, given the trainer/low-end-cruiser status of a Cherokee,
I think it's got pretty good range. Remember that just because you have a
bigger engine doesn't mean you need to use it. The airframe is happy with
a 150 hp engine at 8 gal/hour. Putting more power on it in cruise won't
get you there much faster ( 5 kt), but just burn more gas.

-Cory
--
************************************************** ***********************
* The prime directive of Linux: *
* - learn what you don't know, *
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* (Just my 20 USm$) *
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Don't pay any attention to anyone except you. If you are more
comfortable stopping more often, do it! There's a lot of things
my airplane "can do" and "is allowed to do" that I won't.

Personally, my rear end doesn't like being strapped in more than
2.5 hours. I can make it to 3 but only if absolutely necessary.

Besides, cheaper fuel is good. Never having to say "I'm Sorry"
because you ran out of fuel with the airport in sight is
*really* good!