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Old 04-29-2008 | 04:45 PM
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da Rock
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From: Near Pfafftown NC
Default RE: Question About Elevation and Engines

BTW, even if you fly at the same field ever day of your modeling career, your engine is going to experience a range of different "altitudes". So get into the habit of tuning for optimum setting at the start of every session.

I have a handheld "weather station". (It's really just a jazzed up wind speed reader with some extra functions.) I often use it to readout the Density Altitude when I'm doing prop testing. Density Altitude is a measure of the effect of atmospheric pressure on your location. When we're in low pressure, our 780' altitude flying field can show a DA as if the field were at a thousand feet higher elevation. When we're in high pressure, the engine can feel like it dealing with sea level altitude. Or lower.

The Density Altitude can often be greater at my home field than I'll experience (OK, .....than the ENGINE will experience) when I fly at a field in the foothills to the West of here.

So it's actually as important to do the start-of-session-needle-twiddling every session, as it is to do it when flying at a different field.

And it's just as easy to do at home or on the road.