Because Owning And Flying Your Beechcraft Can Be Done Safely AND For Less Money!
  Long Range Power Settings (Get 15-25% Better Fuel Mileage)

 

A very wise and experienced Beechcraft Owner & Beech Lister, aka Old Bob, has suggested that flight at best L/D airspeed (or Best Glide in your POH) times a factor of between 1.1 and 1.2 will yield nearly the optimum in fuel mileage efficiency.

 

I have found Old Bob's guidance to be true in my B55. Here are some examples of power settings that I have used for maximum range/economy NM/gal in my B55:

 

Usually 8,000' to 12.000'

 

17" to 19" MP

 

2100 RPM

 

7.5 to 8.5 gallons/hour per engine

 

Usually in the range of 128 - 138 KIAS

 

Calculated TAS is usually 150 - 162 KTAS

 

Here is a calculation from Dr. Dave Rogers to help you calculate (L/D)max for your particular weight:

 

"For the operational weight and the speed for L/Dmax varies as the square root of the weight ratio, i.e.,

V2(L/D)max = V1(L/D)max*sqrt(W2/W1)"

 


 

NEWS FLASH: Recent 700nm Trip at 9.3 gph/side, 2100 RPM, 19" MP (Full Throttle), 12,000' and OAT 11C I achieved 172 KTAS!

 

NEWS FLASH: Recent 700nm Trip at 10.3 gph/side, 2250 RPM, 19" MP (Full Throttle), 12,000' and OAT of -10C I achieved 182 KTAS!

 

NEWS FLASH: Recent 800nm Trip at 9.5 gph/side, 2350 RPM, 142KIAS, 30.29" Altimeter, 17" MP (Full Throttle), 15,000' and OAT of -12C I achieved 178 KTAS!

 

NEWS FLASH: Recent 800nm Trip at 10.9 gph/side, 2300 RPM, 159KIAS, 30.17" Altimeter, 21" MP (Full Throttle), 10,000' and OAT of 4C I achieved 186 KTAS!

 


 

Power Settings Video of ~180KTAS @ 21GPH

 

 


 

Power Settings Video of ~168KTAS @ 18.5GPH

 



N2023W DTO-ATW 30 November 2021
@21 and 22GPH Fuel Flow







N2023W ATW-DTO 18 December 2022
@20.6GPH Fuel Flow

 

 


 

 

 

Gee Mike, why do you fly so high? Aren't you burning up a lot more gas to get up there? Thought you'd never ask. Intuitively it always seemed to make sense for me to fly high to get a higher TAS at a lower fuel burn, excepting of course when facing mega headwinds up high. Well, here is a chart created by Beech Lister and fellow Baron driver, Derek D, that shows you actually SAVE fuel on trips of over 250nm.

 

 

You can see why I like the 10,000' to 12,000' range for my trips of over 500nm. Thanks for the effort on the chart Derek!

 

Now, while you're in your climb, be sure to Lean to a Target EGT in the range of 1250F to 1300F!

 


 

Here is a LOP Climb scenario that B58 Baron driver Larry O. uses. It looks like it could be worth 3 gallons

 

 


 

For you Bonanza drivers, here are some drag curves to consider when seeking maximum range/efficiency.

 

 


 

Here is a P-Baron L/D Curve (the normally aspirated versions may be similar with a slight shift to the left - don't quote me on that).

 

 

Lindbergh's Fuel Planning Chart


NY to Paris (courtesy Bill Compton)


 


Per Bill: "Here is Lindbergh's cruise control plan for NY City to Paris, 1927. It was put together by Charles and Donald A Hall, the engineer who designed Spirit of St Louis. The "Ideal speed" lines for RPM and IAS represent Vldmax, which decreases as the huge fuel (450g) load is consumed. But it shows the intent to fly the "Practical speed" lines, initially more AoA than L/Dmax (less IAS than Vldmax), catching up at mid flight, then less AoA at the lower weights to follow (meaning more IAS) at a small fuel cost at low weights. 

Why would he start w an AoA less than L/Dmax? My guess is that his engine could not put out that much power without running rich, so he initially flew on the back side of L/Dmax without taking a big hit on TAS. Second half of flight, throwing in more IAS than Vldmax for more TAS at minimal added fuel cost.

There's a lot more there as well. It's like a puzzle slowly yielding even more strategies. He landed with 85 gallons on board. Then his charts and logs were stolen and never recovered, a terrible loss to aviation history.

This chart and others were found in 1999, in a forgotten trunk in Donald Hall's grandson's garage. Google at NACA technical note No. 257. Done with drafting tools and a slide rule."


 


 

Here are pics of Kevin O.'s IO-550 powered Debonair making 175KTAS at 14,500' burning 11.8 GPH!

 

 

 

That's the kind of efficiency I'm talkin' about! Go on up there and get some thin air with that big boy engine

 


 

Here is a climb chart and narrative created by Ward A. for the NA-A36.

 

The conditions are climb at full power at 120KIAS Cruise at 75% LOP, or full throttle LOP. Descend at 165KIAS, -500 FPM at what-ever power it take (constantly adjusting). Above 12k ft, we descent at WOT, and 500fpm at whatever speed we can get (less than 165KIAS).

 

As you can see, we're not doing anything unnatural to save fuel. All this is in comparison to a flight at Sea Level. Note that up to 7k or so, the climb is free. Above 7k, we save fuel, because we are flying at a slower IAS (read more efficient) than we are at sea level.

 

Ward

PS - In a TN - you get more or less free climb to all altitudes. I don't hesitate to climb to 17.5k, even on a short 200nm flight.

 

 

 


 

Check out the  EGT Leaning Presentation from the good folks at Advanced Pilot Seminars. This can also help you determine what fuel flow is best to use at high altitude or high DA situations.

 


 

See Pics of Actual in-flight Power Settings at 10,000'/8.2 gph per side/12C Yielding 162KTAS HERE (Click thru 4 pics)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

Here are pics of my Exhaust stacks after a 5 hour LOP flight from KATW to KDTO

 


 

Read Mike Busch's #59 Article on Leaning

 

For grins, here is the actual 75% Power Chart for the B55 from the 1965 Operating Handbook 28gph!

 

Give me a break!!! NFW for this CSOB. In the end, it's your engine and wallet <grins>.