Tailwinds are great

dmcummins · 03-10-2018, 04:47 AM

Flying from SE MO to SW Florida I was seeing groundspeeds over 200 mph for much of the trip. My in air cruise speed is generally between 165 and 175 mph depending on fuel flow. 11 gph gives me a little over 175, 12 gph gives me close to 175.

I’d show a couple of screen shots but the files are to big, but 212 mph was about the highest and 205 or so was pretty common for the first leg of the trip. Unfortunately when I tuned south around Atlanta the winds died down to only around 5-10 knots.

Still I left Cape Girardeau, which is around 100 miles south of St Louis, and arrived at Punta Gorda Fl in 5 1/2 hours. And I stopped once for fuel, and a bathroom break.

Driving this trip is at least 15 hours or more, which for me means two days as I’m getting a hotel room instead of driving strait through.

dad911 · 03-10-2018, 05:24 AM

except landings and takeoffs....

Norm K · 03-10-2018, 05:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dad911

except landings and takeoffs....

... or until the winds are still there on your return trip. Flying along I-84 some 40 years ago, into a 25-30 knot headwind, the old Piper Colt couldn't keep up with the freeway traffic below. Then, more than ever, I pined for the Mooney I couldn't afford at the time ...

_

billybek · billybek's Garage

My brother in law had flown his 150 out from the east and couldn't keep up with traffic on the Trans-Canada highway.
Can't remember what he has now but still a single low wing retractable. A little faster than the 150!

recycled sixtie · recycled sixtie's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by Norm K

... or until the winds are still there on your return trip. Flying along I-84 some 40 years ago, into a 25-30 knot headwind, the old Piper Colt couldn't keep up with the freeway traffic below. Then, more than ever, I pined for the Mooney I couldn't afford at the time ...

_

I hear you . Many years ago I was flying a Cessna 150 over Lethbridge Alberta and turned towards Calgary. I had zero groundspeed (wind on the ground was 45 mph gusting to 60). So I checked the weather in Cutbank Montana and landed there. Advised customs and slept in the hangar.

petrolhead611 · 03-10-2018, 06:22 AM

Ive had a float equipped 85hp Cub flying backwards relative to the ground on long finals

stevej37 · 03-10-2018, 10:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by petrolhead611

Ive had a float equipped 85hp Cub flying backwards relative to the ground on long finals

That is funny! I've never heard of that being possible. It would be disappointing!

stomachmonkey · 03-10-2018, 10:57 AM

And here I thought tail wind was going to be in keeping with this weeks theme.

dmcummins · 11:36 AM

This was the return trip. The trip up took another hour. I flew much of that trip at 4500’ to stay out of the higher head winds.

KNS · 03-10-2018, 11:58 AM

I recall one time flying an Astar from Phoenix to Missoula and then the next day turning around and doing the same route home in the other direction. Somehow due to the weather moving across the western US at the time I got tailwinds in both directions. Great trip.

p911dad · p911dad's Garage

On one of my first solo flights in the Cessna T210K, I totally misjudged to time to Albany from Buffalo with a really brisk tailwind. I was about 40 minutes into the flight still at 10,000' just west of ALB and had to get down pronto without shock cooling the engine. It was one of those VFR days when I didn't pay much attention to the weather. I learned a lot that day. It was the first really fast single I had flown.

Porsche-O-Phile · Porsche-O-Phile's Garage

Mooneys are great - until annual time. I suppose that’s true of almost any aircraft but I’ve heard the Mooney line is particularly hard on the wallet.

fingpilot · 03-10-2018, 04:45 PM

Wintertime jet stream tailwinds from LaLaLand to New Jersey would peak at +/- 170 knots in the mid-30's. 530 KTAS plus the 170 kt tailwind shaved an hour off of the 5+30 flight eastbound.

We stopped looking for tailwinds when we discovered the CIA would not pay us full scale because the chemtrails were diluted by the higher groundseeds.

dmcummins · 03-11-2018, 07:52 AM

I don’t have supplemental air so I can’t go real high. The service ceiling for my plane is 18,000, and it would take a long time to get there. 7,000-10,000 is generally where I cruise, depending on length and weather.

recycled sixtie · recycled sixtie's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by Porsche-O-Phile

Mooneys are great - until annual time. I suppose that’s true of almost any aircraft but I’ve heard the Mooney line is particularly hard on the wallet.

What does an annual inspection cost on a Mooney done by a prof mechanic?

dmcummins · 03-11-2018, 08:18 AM

Here is a pic of my panel on the way up. Looks like I was doing around 150 knots at 6500’ so not to bad.

My avionics are old, but with a iPad and garmin it still gives me plenty of information. And my auto pilot does not have altitude hold, but it will track a gps course, so that makes a longer trip a little easier. At least it makes it easier to eat a sandwich.

dmcummins · 03-11-2018, 08:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by recycled sixtie

What does an annual inspection cost on a Mooney done by a prof mechanic?

I don’t know about a mooney, but on my Beechcraft Debonair it runs me $1200 if I help and do the oil change, grease, etc. if I just let the shop do it it’s closer to $2000. And that’s just the inspection, there are generally a few things that need to be done that I have missed during the year.