Roy Smith wrote:

Matt Whiting wrote:

The retract gear took surpising little time to get used to, but the
Piper automatic gear is a pain in the butt. It takes about 100 MPH
before you can retract it on TO, unless you lift the override lever.


Hmmm. Something's not right here. The auto-extension is supposed to be
triggered by a combination of airspeed and manifold pressure (or it it
airspeed and mechanical position of the throttle control?). With full
throttle for takeoff, the gear should go up when you move the selector
lever, regardless of airspeed.

Yes, that was my impression from making my first read through the flight
manual, but that isn't how the airplane currently works. I've sent a
note to Piper to see if I can still buy a flight manual for a '67 so
that I can have one to study at my leisure. I flew again last night it
the gear definitely doesn't come up on take-off until you reach close to
100 MPH, unless you reach down for the override lever.

It may well be that the system isn't working properly and has lost the
MP or TP input. I'm not yet fully familiar with the Arrow's systems,
but am working on it.


The Arrow doesn't glide nearly as well as the 182 so I did come in
too low on the first two approaches and I was low on the power fail
simulation. That 3-blade prop makes a good speed brake when you
throttle back.


I've found it's best to carry a little power right into the flare. How
much is "a little"? I'm not sure; at that point I'm not looking at the
MP gauge, I'm doing it by ear. Probably something like 12 inches? Just
enough that you can hear the engine rev up a bit above idle.

In an engine-out approach, you want to pull the prop lever all the way
back (this is true of any CS prop). This puts the blades in the highest
pitch so they present least resistance to the air. If you leave the
prop in the normal cruise position and pull the throttle, the plane
sinks like a brick. When you pull the prop lever back, you'll instantly
feel the plane leap forward.

Yes, I'd forgot about that.


Matt