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Flying a twin with one engine at idle





Flying a twin with one engine at idle  

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Author: olderendirt   Date: 11/21/2023 10:23:20 PM  +3/-1   Show Orig. Msg (this window) Or  In New Window

Performance  I have a ferry flight coming up in a Bell Medium and am having some fuel issues. I fuel out of barrels and I have a 320 nm leg tomorrow. Have any of you found if you go to idle with one engine and 100% (or so maybe a touch less) on the other, it saves you some quantifiable fuel? Looking for experienced pilots to help me out. 


"Bell medium" as in 212/412 or a 222/230? Those old engines ain't economical in idle. The RFM is your friend in this case- performance charts especially. Been decades since I had to calculate this, but here goes:


I'd copy and magnify the chart to do this (on paper in them old days)


RFM power chart, big bulge.


From the lower left, a line on a tangent to the power curve is your best shot, should give you a ground speed or power setting.


And you have to factor in the atmospherics, winds especially.


I'm a nervous sort but I'm also an old fart. I would go a long way around to have a comfortable fuel stop(s) on any leg...

 
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Flying a twin with one engine at idle +3/-16 Ferry flight 11/21/2023 7:26:36 PM