How To Increase Airspeed When Flying Ga Aircraft?

[Guest GA888]

Hi guys,I'm still learning to fly GA aircraft with VFR and also playing FSX with FS economy. So far, I just fly with Piper Cherokee 180 from Carenade and when I'm flying at 4000ft or 9000ft I can only cruising at 100knots, with 2300rpm. I think I can increase to up to 140knots but I dont know how to do that. :( :( :( So, If any of you knows how to cruise at 125-140knots with Piper Cherokee or any GA aircraft please advice me...Regards,Jendra

[Daveo 36]

Hi guys,I'm still learning to fly GA aircraft with VFR and also playing FSX with FS economy. So far, I just fly with Piper Cherokee 180 from Carenade and when I'm flying at 4000ft or 9000ft I can only cruising at 100knots, with 2300rpm. I think I can increase to up to 140knots but I dont know how to do that. :( :( :( So, If any of you knows how to cruise at 125-140knots with Piper Cherokee or any GA aircraft please advice me...Regards,Jendra

Leaning out your mixture over 5000 ft might help. Your IAS drops as you get higher in altitude. Check your payload too , maybe your too heavy.

[Geofa 108]

Hi guys,I'm still learning to fly GA aircraft with VFR and also playing FSX with FS economy. So far, I just fly with Piper Cherokee 180 from Carenade and when I'm flying at 4000ft or 9000ft I can only cruising at 100knots, with 2300rpm. I think I can increase to up to 140knots but I dont know how to do that. :( :( :( So, If any of you knows how to cruise at 125-140knots with Piper Cherokee or any GA aircraft please advice me...Regards,Jendra

Also-you might want to read up on different airspeeds-indicated vs. true airspeed vs. ground speed.For every thousand ft. you go up you gain about a 2% true airspeed increase. So at 4000 ft. add 8 knts. to 100 and your true airspeed is 108 knts. From what I remember that is about what a Cherokee 180 does-even an arrow only does about 135-140.

[FalconAF 213]

First, do you know the difference between True Airspeed (TAS), Indicated Airspeed (IAS), and Groundspeed? If you want to fly realistically, make sure your setting in FSX is to display Indicated Airspeed (IAS). Anything else is unrealistic, and can actually cause you to stall the airplane unintentionally and crash in certain situations.When you fly a real airplane, the airspeed indicator displays Indicated Airspeed. As you climb higher, the lower atmospheric pressure cause the airspeed displayed to show a lower value than the speed you are travelling over the ground (in a no-wind condition...your groundspeed will also be affected by headwinds, tailwinds, etc). When flying, your Indicated Airspeed is of prime importance. It is the airspeed your airplane "thinks" it is flying through the air, and is related to the aerodynamic forces the air passing over the control surfaces and wings exert on those surfaces. So for instance, in a jet at 30,000 ft, you could actually be travelling over the ground (groundspeed) at 450 kts, but have an Indicated Airspeed of only 280 kts. You could stall the airplane with an indicated airspeed of 120 kts while still travelling over the ground at over 200 kts groundspeed.With a piston powered aircraft like your Piper Cherokee 180, you are going to notice lower Indicated Airspeeds much sooner as you climb higher. The normally asperated engine can only produce enough horsepower to keep the aircraft flying up to a certain altitude...the "Service Ceiling" of the aircraft. The lower Indicated Airspeeds don't mean you are "flying slower" when it relates to Groundspeed. It only indicates the engine of the aircraft can't produce any more power than what is shown on the redline indicators for the engine instruments. In other words, if you "redline" the engine (max performance of the engine) at 1000 ft, your indicated airspeed would be greater than if you did it at 10,000 ft. As long as the Indicated Airspeed still falls withing acceptable flight parameters (ie - you can maintain an IAS above stall speed), you will still fly.If you haven't done so yet, open the GPS window and look at your Groundspeed displayed, and compare it to your IAS at different altitudes. The higher you go, the greater the difference there will be (assuming a no-wind condition...no headwind, tailwind, etc).And do some searches for information explaining the different types of airspeed a pilot uses. They may seem to be dull to read about, but until you have a full understanding of them, you aren't "flying real" in FSX.Hope this helped.FalconAFEdit: Heh - heh! I see Davio and Geoffa beat me to it with quicker posts. I gotta learn to type faster.....

[Daveo 36]

Also-you might want to read up on different airspeeds-indicated vs. true airspeed vs. ground speed.For every thousand ft. you go up you gain about a 2% true airspeed increase. So at 4000 ft. add 8 knts. to 100 and your true airspeed is 108 knts. From what I remember that is about what a Cherokee 180 does-even an arrow only does about 135-140.

If I remember correctly too. Id check now but have to run to work, the airspeed indicators on some or most of the GA aircraft have true airspeed inlaid on an inner dial.

[Guest GA888]

Thank you very much for the advices and tipsI understand better now about IAS...I will continue flying and learning... :( Best Regards,Jendra

[Geofa 108]

Thank you very much for the advices and tipsI understand better now about IAS...I will continue flying and learning... :( Best Regards,Jendra

Just remember what you are ulimtimately after is groundspeed. That is why pilot's will pour over forecasts and try to pick an altitude where the winds are most favorable and will hopefully get you to that speed you want-over the ground. Add a 30 knt. tailwind and you will be there-of course in the rw for some reason it seems the winds are more often against you.

[Guest PPSFA]

If I remember correctly too. Id check now but have to run to work, the airspeed indicators on some or most of the GA aircraft have true airspeed inlaid on an inner dial.

There is a bexel that rotates on the airspeed indicator. You set your current OAT (outside air temp) opposite your IAS and it gives you TAS. However Im not sure there are any FS planes that take the detail to that level.

[bkeske 0]

There is a bexel that rotates on the airspeed indicator. You set your current OAT (outside air temp) opposite your IAS and it gives you TAS. However Im not sure there are any FS planes that take the detail to that level.

RXP gauges do.....I use the feature occasionally.

[rightseater 0]

Just remember what you are ulimtimately after is groundspeed. That is why pilot's will pour over forecasts and try to pick an altitude where the winds are most favorable and will hopefully get you to that speed you want-over the ground. Add a 30 knt. tailwind and you will be there-of course in the rw for some reason it seems the winds are more often against you.

That reminds me of my dad's old stories about having to walk to school in the snow uphill both ways. I never have understood why the headwinds always seem to follow me everywhere I go.