jimxty

My Feedback: (1)

Well, I can fill you in about the Eclipse Jet, as I have been flying one for the last three years. First of all (unlike almost anything I have ever flown) we don't have V1 or V2 speed. The computer assigns a Vr (rotate) speed based on weight and weather. The airplane uses half flaps (15 deg) for takeoffs-it uses a whole lot more runway without the flaps which can be hard on tires as well as other things. At Vr we rotate (I'm using the editorial we because it is a single pilot jet) to 10 degrees nose up. This is a bit less than most jets, and a bit more than most high performance piston twins (a Baron will use about 5-7 deg nose up at rotation). At any rate its Vr nose up 10 deg, Positive rate of climb=gear up, then at 400 feet above the runway flaps up, yaw damp on, and (optional depending upon conditions) power to climb, as determined by a mark on a guage which has been predetermined by the computer. As the airplane cleans up, it accelerates, so still with 10 degrees of pitch you accelerate to about 170 knots, which is the speed limit in a control zone. If things are going right you will hit about 170 as you exit the control zone and then you can accelerate to 250 knots, which is the speed limit below 10,000 feet. On something like the afformentioned Hawker, some power reduction may be necessary in the CZ or even below 10K feet, but on the comparitivly underpowered Ecilipse it is all you can do to reach about 220 Knots or so. At light weights on a cold day I can maintin 250 in the climb to about 20,000 feet, but hot and heavy it just won't do it. BTW the computer gives a climb speed that it thinks is the most efficient, but we have learned that it is wrong. The fastest foreward speed you can do with still a good climb rate is best. Cold and light I can do 2000-2500 feet per min till 20K-the Hawker will do much better and a Lear is just fantastic. ANY airplane will climb faster, and better when light and in cold air, much less so hot and heavy. Also as speed increases and you can get rid of drag producers (gear and flaps) the airplane will accelerats very noticably. The more is accelerates the better it performs. Recips are not quite like that in that they don't have the massive power of a jet and they are loosing the ability to make power as they climb into thinner air. All ariplanes however just LOVE cold air-as do the pilots.