new_CFI writes:

its a fule to air ratio. x:y... so as you climb and air density
decreases the amount of fule require to keep the ratio constant,
changes. So, the amout of fuel you send to the engine needs to be less.
Thats where the mixture controll comes in. If you don't have the Pilots
Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, there is a good explanation of
it....if you don't have it; you can download it from the faa website.
If you need the link Ill post it, but I have to run….

I have the handbook. I pretty much understand the explanation, I just
wonder why the pilot adjusts it. You'd think that the engine would be
able to measure the static air pressure and adjust the mixture for
itself. Cars have complex engine computers, so why not aircraft
engines? Of course, if aircraft engines had the same unreliable
software that they put in cars, they'd drop out of the sky, so it
would have to be verified a lot more, and the engine would have to be
able to run without it.

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