Logged my first 182 and Commercial training time today

[TangoWhiskey]

I went to the airport to do the 2nd part of my G1000 checkout (the first part was done in January, and I've logged about 12 hours of G1000 time, VFR). Today I was going to do the FBO's G1000 IFR checkout, which they require in order to take the plane into IMC conditions.

Unfortunately, the school had misscheduled me, and the G1000 was gone on a day trip. However, the 182RG was there, and I'd been thinking about getting my Commercial rating in it.

So, the instructor and I changed gears, took the 182, and I logged both my first 1.1 hours of 182 time, as well as my first 1.1 towards my commercial rating.

The 182 is a blast!! 235 ponies and a 3-blade prop get that puppy up in the air in a hurry. When we got to doing power-on stalls, I was amazed at both the climb rate and pitch attitude we attained before it finally stalled. The bottom of the white arc is at 37 knots!! The VSI was pointed straight up on this hot Texas day before the wing let go and broke into the stall.

Did a practice emergency gear extension... it was MUCH easier and faster than in the Mooney M20C/E, which requires 117 spins of the handle (we counted!). On the 182, it was maybe 20 pumps. Cool little "dipstick" on the hydraulic fluid reservoir by the co-pilot's feet.

I was expecting to have a problem with the nose wheel coming down first or a tendency for it to be nose heavy or want to get into a wheelbarrowing situation, based on reports I've heard before, plus having two big guys up front, but I noticed no such tendency. Maybe it was just being aware of it, plus proper attention to speed (65 over the fence) and carrying a touch of power into the flare to keep good elevator response made it a non-event.

It's solid, stable, and comfortable. Looking forward to getting the other 4 hours required for the checkout so I can fly it on some trips. I plan to go on an actual-IMC day with the instructor on one flight, and do a real IMC trip, not just local approaches.

Here's another interesting point: this FBO doesn't charge any daily minimums for the G1000 172 or the C182RG... if it's available, you can book it for a weekend trip and only pay for actual time flown!! I wish more FBO's would do that with their higher-end aircraft.

Sorry for the poor picture, all I had with me was my cell phone. [EDIT: Better picture of this plane, off airliners.net]

It sure was fun to say "Skylane 27C" instead of "Cessna XXX"!!

 

[spiderweb]

That sounds like fun. How do the speeds compare to your Mooney experience? In an NA C182RG, I should think you could get 140 KTAS at 6,000', since I could get 127 or 128 KTAS out of the C182S.

 

[TangoWhiskey]

That sounds like fun. How do the speeds compare to your Mooney experience? In an NA C182RG, I should think you could get 140 KTAS at 6,000', since I could get 127 or 128 KTAS out of the C182S.

I'll find out later! This was all first-hour checkout stuff (steep turns, slow flight, stalls, landings). I can't wait to get it "on the road" up at altitude and see what she true's out at in cruise. I'm thinking 140 knots, as well. Instructor says 12-13 gph, I was thinking more like 14, til he reminded me it's not the 300 hp Lycoming I was flying in a Cherokee Six.

It's always fun to get time in a new type!

 

[JasonCT]

Ahhhhh So refreshing to hear! Of course I am high wing biased

 

[spiderweb]

I'll find out later! This was all first-hour checkout stuff (steep turns, slow flight, stalls, landings). I can't wait to get it "on the road" up at altitude and see what she true's out at in cruise. I'm thinking 140 knots, as well. Instructor says 12-13 gph, I was thinking more like 14, til he reminded me it's not the 300 hp Lycoming I was flying in a Cherokee Six.

It's always fun to get time in a new type!

I flight plan the C182S (different engine, I know) at 13 GPH and 65% power.

 

[tonycondon]

The 182RG i flew last summer would get 145-150 KTAS at about 12.5 GPH. This was at top of green arc (22 inches) or full throttle with about 2300 RPMs I think.

Great airplane, stable IFR platform, and very economical for the load carrying capability. Also has better short field performance than a 172 and you can fit 4 real people in it.

 

[SCCutler]

I love the 182, sort of the universal airplane.

 

[flyingcheesehead]

That sounds like fun. How do the speeds compare to your Mooney experience? In an NA C182RG, I should think you could get 140 KTAS at 6,000', since I could get 127 or 128 KTAS out of the C182S.

Ben,

That's it? I flew a 182T and was getting 140 KTAS out of it (fixed gear). IIRC, 8000 feet + or - 500, WOT, 22 or 2300 RPM, and leaned to 12.9 gph.

I'd hope the 182RG could do 150...

What kind of Mooney did you fly? I've only ever found one for rent, it was at FCM (Thunderbird) and was a C or an E, can't remember which. (Though it looks like they have an M20J now. Hmmm...)

 

[spiderweb]

Ben,

That's it? I flew a 182T and was getting 140 KTAS out of it (fixed gear). IIRC, 8000 feet + or - 500, WOT, 22 or 2300 RPM, and leaned to 12.9 gph.

I'd hope the 182RG could do 150...

What kind of Mooney did you fly? I've only ever found one for rent, it was at FCM (Thunderbird) and was a C or an E, can't remember which. (Though it looks like they have an M20J now. Hmmm...)

Yep, that's all she wrote. I have seen as much as 130 KTAS without exceeding the green on the Tac or MP gagues. There are two reasons, I think. First of all, this Cessna did not have wheel pants, which takes away about 4 knots. Secondly, believe it or not, the C182T is slightly cleaned up from the C182S airframe.

I would think the C182RG could not do 150 KTAS (assuming normally aspirated), but could come quite close at 75% power and 6000 feet. This is the older, carbeurated engine, remember. It might get to 150KTAS if it was light, everything was cleaned, the airframe was waxed, it was hot, etc. Owners who have done the P-PONK or Texas Airways say they can get a lot more airspeed, though.

 

[spiderweb]

I hope NCPilot chimes in, though, because he has a C182RG.

 

[tonycondon]

I dunno Ben, I was consistently getting 145-150 KTAS in the 182RG I was flying. This was with the normally aspirated 235 hp lycoming on it. I was light, usually solo. also, the engine was well past TBO at the time, i think the core had 3000 hours on it, top end had been kept up as needed.

 

[flyingcheesehead]

First of all, this Cessna did not have wheel pants, which takes away about 4 knots. Secondly, believe it or not, the C182T is slightly cleaned up from the C182S airframe.

The real source of my surprise is that I routinely get 130KTAS out of our old 1971 182N, generally fairly high with WOT (around 21") and 2200 RPM. Pants or not doesn't seem to vary it much, as they're the old square-ish kind, although we haven't had the nose pant (the most effective one) on much since I've been in the club. Once it got painted, the line guys damaged it so it's been off all summer, and they're all off in the winter.

Owners who have done the P-PONK or Texas Airways say they can get a lot more airspeed, though.

We may do the Texas Airways conversion once our current engine quits. It's almost the same price as a regular overhaul and you get 260 ponies IIRC. Dunno if there's a MGW increase. There is gonna be higher fuel burn, but the plane already carries over six hours of fuel and the higher speed might make up for it.

Luckily, our current engine is a couple hundred hours over TBO and in amazingly good condition. Compressions 74/80 to 78/80 and oil analysis shows no increases in wear metals at all in the last 5 years.

 

[Steve]

I recall the first time I flew a rental 182RG thinking it was getting near C210 speed (~145-150kts) with 50 fewer hp and 4 adults. It was apparently very well rigged, or the ASI was lying. Other 182RG's I've flown could not be trimmed above 140kts keeping the needles in the green.

If I ever get another plane the 182 straight leg is a prime contender.

I dunno Ben, I was consistently getting 145-150 KTAS in the 182RG I was flying. This was with the normally aspirated 235 hp lycoming on it. I was light, usually solo. also, the engine was well past TBO at the time, i think the core had 3000 hours on it, top end had been kept up as needed.

 

[Bill]

If I ever get another plane the 182 straight leg is a prime contender.

Our club 182 was nice before it got run over, trued at 138 at 9000, full throttle (< 22 inches) and 2300rpm at about 13gph. Nice.

We'll see how it flys after all the repairs