Commander glide ratio

[cschuler123]

Re: Commander glide ratio

You just didn't have much time Clint. The Forefight guides won't even show up until your at least 200 ft agl so no value. But what is good to know is how strong an airframe we have. Safe flying.


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Airframe is good yes, but we need springs on the seats....If the seats would've had springs like the Cessna and Piper, my wife and I would not have broken our backs, I don't think.

 

[mrogers641]

Re: Commander glide ratio

Higher G loading seats. On the list for new Commanders.


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[JimParker256]

Re: Commander glide ratio

Airframe is good yes, but we need springs on the seats....If the seats would've had springs like the Cessna and Piper, my wife and I would not have broken our backs, I don't think.

Actually, "springs" could easily make it worse because of the "rebound" effect. What a lot of homebuilders are now doing is following the military's example of using viscoelastic foam (such as this) to make their seat cushions. On that site they have a table that shows what thickness of which materials to use for various pilot weights. Oregon Aero offer similar replacement foam seat cushions that they will "certify" for use in aircraft (burn tests, etc.). The SunMate stuff passes the tests, but best I can tell, they will not certify it for aircraft use.

I'm a lot heavier than average, so I worked with them to figure out the optimum combination of three layers (each 1" thick) stacked up for both crash protection and comfort. The softest layer is on top for initial comfort, while the second and bottom layers are progressively firmer with higher resistance. The idea is to slow the vertical motion progressively. And, by the way, these seats are incredibly comfortable. The only drawback is during cold weather, when the foam gets harder until your body heat warms it up... Of course, if you can pre-heat the interior, that issue goes away. (And for homebuilts, we can put a seat-warmer in there... Ummm.)

 

[alim]

Re: Commander glide ratio

I would just remember - that for a glide distance setup, you probably want to arrive 1000 feet above your intended chosen field in order to setup for something resembling a tight pattern.

I hence use 6:1 - which is much worse than what it will likely do but it will guarantee me a pattern/setup

6:1

@1000 AGL - 1nm (6000 feet) ;
@4000 AGL 4nm ;
@6000 AGL 6 nm.

It is super conservative , but easy to remember and will allow for a pattern.

That takes away wishful thinking of trying to make it to a field at the edge of range , arriving unaligned with the "runway" and risking a stall. I would rather fly at V-glide and then at V-glide +5 knots into a short but reachable option than try to stretch into a good option and end up with a stall.

If you're low after take-off, you're low. But at >1000 feet at least there is the option of a tight pattern/setup ..

just my $0.02 - having never been in that situation and ideally would like never to be but thats whats in my head during flights ..

 

[jukelemon]

Re: Commander glide ratio

I would just remember - that for a glide distance setup, you probably want to arrive 1000 feet above your intended chosen field in order to setup for something resembling a tight pattern.

I hence use 6:1 - which is much worse than what it will likely do but it will guarantee me a pattern/setup

6:1

@1000 AGL - 1nm (6000 feet) ;
@4000 AGL 4nm ;
@6000 AGL 6 nm.

It is super conservative , but easy to remember and will allow for a pattern.

That takes away wishful thinking of trying to make it to a field at the edge of range , arriving unaligned with the "runway" and risking a stall. I would rather fly at V-glide and then at V-glide +5 knots into a short but reachable option than try to stretch into a good option and end up with a stall.

If you're low after take-off, you're low. But at >1000 feet at least there is the option of a tight pattern/setup ..

just my $0.02 - having never been in that situation and ideally would like never to be but thats whats in my head during flights ..

Agree

 

[cschuler123]

Re: Commander glide ratio

All bets are off when you find yourself in a situation you could not have planned for and the prop stops turning...let me tell ya...the ones who make it out alive, God saved.

 

[cschuler123]

Re: Commander glide ratio

Best that I can put together based on flight track etc...we dropped about 1000' in altitude over a 3 minute period after engine failure and flew about 3050' over ground, after setting up for 85 knots initially and at about 200 pounds less than gross weight.