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Beat by an RV-12


sandpiper

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Today I did a loose 2 plane formation 75 NM cross country. My wing man was an RV-12 who is my neighbor. I regret to say that, not only could he out climb me, he could outrun me! The climb difference was more noticable and could be due to the fact he exceeds 5500 RPM in level flight. For the outrun part, my full throttle is 5400, he held his at 5500. Looked like he was about 2 knots faster. We went one way at 3500 ft and returned at 4500 ft.. Our weights were about equal, I might have been 30 - 40 pounds heavier. To stay together we both ran about 5100 RPM.

 

I may have to keep my -12 if I ever get it done. However, on a really long cross country it would be advantage CT due to fuel capacity.

 

 

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Hi John,

 

It's your rpm and nothing else. He won't do either if you both were at 5500 rpm. For me 5400 rpm WOT is just a tad to course a pitch for me. I like to see 5500 -5550. If I flew at 8500' msl all the time I would increase that to 5600-5650 at my lower field elevation.

Adjust your prop 1/2 degree less pitch and go kick his rump.

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Today I did a loose 2 plane formation 75 NM cross country. My wing man was an RV-12 who is my neighbor. I regret to say that, not only could he out climb me, he could outrun me! The climb difference was more noticable and could be due to the fact he exceeds 5500 RPM in level flight. For the outrun part, my full throttle is 5400, he held his at 5500. Looked like he was about 2 knots faster. We went one way at 3500 ft and returned at 4500 ft.. Our weights were about equal, I might have been 30 - 40 pounds heavier. To stay together we both ran about 5100 RPM.

 

I may have to keep my -12 if I ever get it done. However, on a really long cross country it would be advantage CT due to fuel capacity.

 

I'll bet if you select -12 degree flaps you will walk away from him even at 100 RPM lower than his. Try it.

Larry Minch

Flying Bozo

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I have flown both -6 and -12 in a CT side by side. There really isn't hardly any difference. RPM coupled with prop pitch is absolutely the deciding factor if both planes are the same and the weight is the same. Two different types of planes offer two different drag components.

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I don't have -12 flaps but I can get a little more reflex than the -6 position gives me when I go to the manual side of the flap selector. I did that in this case since, in the past, that has given me another 2-3 knots. So, I used all the tricks available to me on that flight and he was still faster. I plan to repitch my prop tomorrow. I had been planning to do it anyway.

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