Cessna 182S Performance

[Flaps30 3]

I finally got the 182S to 11000 ft. with help of this forum. I tweaked the mixture control and trim enough to get her to climb at 500 fpm. It took a while but I finally got there. I leveled off and tried to get a nice cruise speed of 120 or so. The most I could squeeze out was a little over 100 knots. My mixture is leaned almost all the way out, EGT shows a low reading so that when I try to lean any further the engine chokes and stalls, my RPM is at 2400, and I am at full throttle. I am also using the Realair 182. Is a little better than 100 about the best one can get at 11000, or can I do something to get the recommended 120? Thanks. :-)

[Guest tallpilot]

Besure the cowl flaps are closed for cruise.

[Guest Jozef_K]

Did you have a look at your ground speed (in the GPS)? At that altitude the indicated airspeed (IAS) is much lower than your actual ground speed (with no winds) and the true airspeed. Jozef Kusters http://httpd.chello.nl/~j-kusters/logo.gif [link:Ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/Tradewind/"]Visit TCA TradeWind ][/font

[Guest nutmeat]

I was intrigued by your post so I had to try it for myself; I also have the Real Flight mods installed for this aircraft. The following is with no wind, standard 29.92 altimiter, and clear skies.Left KRNO (Reno, alt 4412), established a cruise climb at 700-800 ft/min and 10 degrees on HSI (approximate); this gave about a 90knot IAS. Turned to go over the sierras for Lake Tahoe (peaks avg 9000-11000 in this area).Set RPM's to 2100 (lower end of green arc), full throttle.Continued climb to 13000 feet, adjusting Manifold Pressure several times during the climb; higher altitudes require a much leaner mixture; use the EGT as the indicator...adjust for max and then richen just a tad.Leveled off at 13000 and trimmed for cruise; IAS settled in at just under 110; GPS said 131 ground speed. Trim at about 4 degrees above horizon at this altitude. Manifold pressure was about 20" at full throttle at this altitude. I felt I could have taken the plane to 15000 feet, which should be right around its service ceiling (I think the max is about 18000 feet but I've been out of this (real) aircraft for quite awhile now and the memory gets fuzzy. I've got about 150 real live hours in this aircraft.)The trick in high altitudes with most lower HP GA aircraft is to set the tach just about at the low end of their operable range. This supplies a deeper pitch to the prop thereby getting more bite of the thinner air. Turns should be kept shallow lest one loose altitude more quickly than at the lower levels.Hope this helps some.

[Flaps30 3]

Thanks for the help guys. I'm so used to flying low in the 182 I never thought of the lower indicated airspeed at 11000. I guess that would be about right - 100 indicated or 120 true. Tom. :-wave