|
Two thoughts.
1. I don't think any of us should assume the POH climb rates to be realistic for our aircraft. Those numbers, squeezed to the max by Cessna, are for brand new aircraft, with perfectly smooth (and waxed) skin, perfectly tuned engines, perfect-pitch props, etc. Ours don't fly that good. I assume 100 - 200 fpm penalty for age, plus the adjustments for temperature, pressure density, etc., and I try to fly below max load, so if an engine fails I can get close to the POH numbers.
2. Of the added drag introduced by the gear in transit, I don't know the proportion of the big doors (the ones removed by the STC), but if you've seen a gear retraction test up close, you know it's big. My guess 2/3 of the in-transit added drag is due to the big doors.
Ernie
|