Return-Path: Sender: (Marvin Kaye) To: lml@lancaironline.net Date: Mon, 23 Aug 2004 11:04:47 -0400 Message-ID: X-Original-Return-Path: Received: from mynah.mail.pas.earthlink.net ([207.217.120.228] verified) by logan.com (CommuniGate Pro SMTP 4.2) with ESMTP id 375044 for lml@lancaironline.net; Mon, 23 Aug 2004 11:03:53 -0400 Received-SPF: pass receiver=logan.com; client-ip=207.217.120.228; envelope-from=skipslater@earthlink.net Received: from lsanca1-ar17-4-61-193-211.lsanca1.elnk.dsl.genuity.net ([4.61.193.211] helo=skipslater) by mynah.mail.pas.earthlink.net with asmtp (Exim 4.34) id 1BzGLz-0003Yt-UK for lml@lancaironline.net; Mon, 23 Aug 2004 08:03:24 -0700 X-Original-Message-ID: <001701c48922$949fa3c0$6401a8c0@earthlink.net> Reply-To: "Skip Slater" From: "Skip Slater" X-Original-To: "Lancair Mailing List" References: Subject: Re: [LML] What are the Real Numbers? X-Original-Date: Mon, 23 Aug 2004 08:04:52 -0700 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2800.1106 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2800.1106 X-ELNK-Trace: cbee950bdf563876c8ad50643b1069f8239a348a220c2609282c152f94c2f17650554943c5b144cba8438e0f32a48e08350badd9bab72f9c350badd9bab72f9c X-Originating-IP: 4.61.193.211 Fred, Speaking for my non-turbo'd ES (Lycoming IO-540, ~ equivalent hp to a Continental IO-550) there's NO WAY an normally aspirated ES will go anywhere near 295 MPH at ANY altitude (unless you're talking groundspeed with a BIG tailwind). The service ceiling is listed at 18,000' and it takes a long time just to get there. Maybe (and that's a BIG maybe) on a very cold day at minimal weight, I could coax my plane up to FL250, but it would take a LONG time and I wouldn't be able to maintain my normal cruise speed of about 190 KTAS (~220 mph). So the plane you saw had to be either turbo or supercharged. But from the guys I've spoken to who have turbocharged ES's, while FL250 is easily doable, normal cruise up there is in the 225-235 KTAS range, which still doesn't equate to anywhere near 295 MPH. The turbocharged Columbia 400 specs show the same thing - ceiling FL250, max recommended cruise power speed 235 KTAS (270 MPH). That 295 MPH figure you saw translates to 257 KTAS; I don't think so! Whoever put that speed on his placard was either badly mistaken or seriously kidding himself. As for stall speed, Lancair's web site lists it at 65 MPH dirty, which is a pretty good figure. They also list a 600' takeoff roll at gross weight at sea level. From my experience, that's a bit optimistic, but my home airport is at about 1200', so I don't do many sea level takeoffs. I also don't rotate until around 75-80 knots, which means longer takeoff rolls, but better stall margins. Skip Slater N540ES