Ping: Paul Tomblin... How about a Lance pilot report

In a previous article, john smith said:
Thanks Paul.
Your blog makes for an interesting read.
Thanks for taking the time to commit it to print.
I have Cherokee Six, Turbo Arrow and Dakota time, but no Lance/Saratoga
time as yet.

All my other experience has been in taper-wing Cherokees - Warrior, Archer
and Dakota. The hershey-bar Lance feels quite a bit different, even from
the Dakota.


--
Paul Tomblin http://xcski.com/blogs/pt/
I think it's a beautiful day to go to the zoo and feed the ducks.
To the lions.
-- Brian Kantor

Next question(s):
Power settings for approach at 120 and 90 (MP and RPM with 10 degrees
flaps, gear down)?
At what point in the approach do you add flaps and gear?

In a previous article, john smith said:
Next question(s):
Power settings for approach at 120 and 90 (MP and RPM with 10 degrees
flaps, gear down)?

I'll have to get back to you on that - I mostly play it by ear. If I'm
cruising at 2200 and 22, I'll leave it at 2200 and pull back the throttle
until I get 120 knots, then at glideslope intercept I'll drop the gear and
maybe re-adjust the throttle to keep at 120 knots and 700 fpm, and then
push the prop control to full forward.

At what point in the approach do you add flaps and gear?

Gear at glideslope intercept, no flaps. I've mostly done ILSes at
airports with long runways, so this works out fine.

If I'm doing VFR patterns, I do 95 knots downwind, drop the gear and a
notch of flaps before turning base, retrim and add some throttle for 90
knots on base, another notch of flaps before turning final, and keep it at
85 knots on final. It's faster than it needs to be by the book, but I
find the plane gets too mushy if it gets much slower. And it works fine
for 4000 foot runways without having to brake too hard.

--
Paul Tomblin http://xcski.com/blogs/pt/
People who love sausages, respect the law, and work with IT standards
shouldn't watch any of them being made.
-- Peter Gutmann

Paul Tomblin wrote:
I'll have to get back to you on that - I mostly play it by ear. If I'm
cruising at 2200 and 22, I'll leave it at 2200 and pull back the throttle
until I get 120 knots, then at glideslope intercept I'll drop the gear and
maybe re-adjust the throttle to keep at 120 knots and 700 fpm, and then
push the prop control to full forward.

Try this, pull off five inches of MP and see if that will give you about
500 fpm descent while maintaining trim airspeed. Works well for
following the GS.