"john smith" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"Peter Dohm" wrote:

In any event, we climbed to a little more than 350 feet before I pulled
the
power to idle; and promptly began my turn back tothe runway.

Idle thrust is still quite a bit of applied power.
Instead of pulling the throttle (air), pull the mixture (gas).
This will give you a windmilling prop with all the associated drag.
When you are ready to restore power, push the mixture back in.
Try it and see how your results change.

I recall pulling the mixture on a newly overhauled A-65 Continental on a
little airplane. It had a wooden prop. I pulled the mixture and the prop
didn't have enough inertia to overcome the compression on the fresh overhaul
and the prop stopped. Since the A-65 doesn't have an electrical starter the
only way to get a restart was to get out and flip the prop. It seemed to me
that do so would require me to land first! The stopped prop had
considerably less drag than the engine at idle.

By the way, any multiengine instructor can tell you that an engine at idle
has less than nuetral thrust and does NOT contribute any thrust. :-)

Highflyer
Highflight Aviation Services
Pinckneyville Airport ( PJY )

PS: The 10th annual Pinckneyville RAH Flyin is coming up May 19, 20, and
21. Plan now to attend. Send Mary a note at or there may
not be enough food for you! :-)