I recently started flying an airplane that is basically minimum fuel from the moment you are gear up, and I had some questions that I've never had to think about that I would greatly appreciate help with.
In order to achieve maximum range performance, do you want to get as high as possible up to optimum cruising altitude (360-370), as fast as possible, followed by max range AOA, followed by an idle descent at max range AOA?
Practically speaking, a leg that you wouldn't have the time/distance to get to your optimum altitude would ideally be you climbing until a point where you need to begin a descent. No cruise segment.
I am looking at recommended altitude for distance charts, and I have altitudes above what aircraft performance charts are saying are optimum max range altitudes.
Now, for maximum speed would I want to be at the same altitudes that give me the lowest fuel burn for max range, but operating at higher power settings? My performance charts say I get a higher max range TAS above 370 but at the cost of higher fuel / distance.
The charts I'm getting the data from are generalized, so for real world application if I wanted to find the actual optimum altitude for that day, I would need to find the altitude at which temperature ceases to decrease(tropopause)... correct?
Also, is there any practical truth that the increase in fuel consumption by flying a route as fast as possible is acceptable because you are actually decreasing the total operating cost by decreasing the time on the engine / airframe, and therefore the need for inspections? It would be easy to figure this out if I knew the specifics of what we pay for maintenance, but I don't.
Basically:
How do you fly a max range profile?
How do you fly a max speed profile (or minimum time) (in an airplane that cannot achieve Vne in straight and level flight)?
And is the second less expensive?
Thanks!
In order to achieve maximum range performance, do you want to get as high as possible up to optimum cruising altitude (360-370), as fast as possible, followed by max range AOA, followed by an idle descent at max range AOA?
Practically speaking, a leg that you wouldn't have the time/distance to get to your optimum altitude would ideally be you climbing until a point where you need to begin a descent. No cruise segment.
I am looking at recommended altitude for distance charts, and I have altitudes above what aircraft performance charts are saying are optimum max range altitudes.
Now, for maximum speed would I want to be at the same altitudes that give me the lowest fuel burn for max range, but operating at higher power settings? My performance charts say I get a higher max range TAS above 370 but at the cost of higher fuel / distance.
The charts I'm getting the data from are generalized, so for real world application if I wanted to find the actual optimum altitude for that day, I would need to find the altitude at which temperature ceases to decrease(tropopause)... correct?
Also, is there any practical truth that the increase in fuel consumption by flying a route as fast as possible is acceptable because you are actually decreasing the total operating cost by decreasing the time on the engine / airframe, and therefore the need for inspections? It would be easy to figure this out if I knew the specifics of what we pay for maintenance, but I don't.
Basically:
How do you fly a max range profile?
How do you fly a max speed profile (or minimum time) (in an airplane that cannot achieve Vne in straight and level flight)?
And is the second less expensive?
Thanks!
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