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To Jim Olson re: when to reduce power. You'll get a lot of answers on this,
Jim, so as Brent puts it, here's my 0.02 -for what it's worth.

My original instructor, an old Air Force gunny, used to whap me upside the
head with what ever was handy if I touched anything related to power or RPM
before I reached an altitude from which I could make a reasonably unexciting
return to field and landing. The reason behind this is that apparently more
engine related failures occur at the first control change.

The secondary reason (or maybe just as important) is that many engines are
set up for fuel enrichment at full throttle as an aid to cooling when you're
making the most HP. The extra gas is cheap enough when balanced against
cooking your cylinders and all the things that can do to you. I know of
folks who back off on the throttle during a strenuous climb thinking they're
going easy on their engine right when the maximum cooling is needed - i.e.,
you need all the power you can make and you're going slower and therefore
getting less cooling flow thru the cylinder fins and oil cooler - and then
complain that their CHT's are running too high.

I learned my lesson (or maybe I can still feel the instructor's chart on the
side of my head) and I leave the throttle alone until I've reached a safe
altitude and ready to accelerate to cruise speed.

Dan Schaefer


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