Default FS2k2 Baron 58... a few questions on mixture and .air file

[turner112 52]

Hi - Just started flying this thing... what a great plane! May buy one when I have an extra 1.4 million....Anyway, except for goofing around in the large jets, I usually fly low, meaning, <4000 feet conditions permitting.Well, now that I'm in the Baron I'm a bit spoiled I guess so I decided to pick a random airport and ended up in Roswell, NM - great stuff, I figure. Grabbed a map and plotted away - and decided to go westbound to California.I got some type of VOR interference (if that's what it really was) and decided to climb up to about 7000 AGL or about 10,000 feet - when I noticed I was pitched up but not climbing! Flying a big boat...I figured I needed mixture control so sure enough, I brought it back just a bit and it worked like a charm.But in reality, I'm unsure of how to "fine-tune" my mix and how to interpret when I'm mixed efficiently.Any thoughts appreciated!Second, the flight model seems fine, but I don't know what a Baron 58 is supposed to feel like. Are there any tweaks to the .air file or other ones available which may be better? I saw the one by Touradg Morassaei but haven't tried it.Cheers,Andrew

[Guest]

http://www.fsd-international.com/projects/...enhancement.htmHas the files you need. Steve Small is one of the best air file designers around, and these are masterpieces.Details on leaning are usually contained within the aircraft operations manual - often on the kneeboard - but simply, a piston engine needs the mixture adjusting to suit the thinner air as an aircraft climbs. Often the adjustment is in the form of `Peak EGT` or `50 degrees rich of peak`. What this means is that as you climb higher you need to start pulling the mixture back so the EGT needles stay at the highest point on the EGT gauge.In FS, the easiest way is to keep an eye on the fuel consumption gauge. As you lean the gauge will fall until, just before the engine cuts out through being over-leaned, you will see a sudden, sharp fall in the consumption. At that point add a bit of mixture back in and you're done. Peak lean.Most aircraft will not be leaned at full power so climbs are normally performed withoutn leaning. The exception to this is if the power falls away to markedly as altitude increases, when it may be necessary to lean the mixture to retain performance. SO the principle is to get to cruise altitude, with cruise power, then lean. The mistake is to use the dials on the gauges to measure peak EGT with max or climb power set, then try to achieve that when at cruise power!Hope this helps.ChasW

[turner112 52]

Thank you!Andrew

[Guest]

AndrewThe Baron has altitude compinsating fuel pumps which automaticlly adjust the mixture with changes in altitude. The power setting for the Baron during cruise climb should be full throttle and 2500 RPMs @ 132 knots indicated airspeed. The Baron is a great airplane but its engines are normally aspirated. This means that as you get higher there is nothing to compansate for the lack of air pressure at altitude. As a result after about 9,000 feet the Baron's climb performance really suffers. There are turbocharged version of the Baron that will help. They use exhaust gases to turn a turbine that pre compresses the air to help componsate for lack of air pressure. Above 6,000 feet a good cruise setting is full throttle and 2300 RPM's. When you lean the mixtures the proper way is either 20C degrees rich of peak for maximum performance or 20C degrees lean of peak for best economy. This ussually ends up to be between 14.5 and 16 gallons per hpour per side. The normal aspirated Baron loves to fly between 7,000 feet and 10,000 feet.Enjoy the Baron

[turner112 52]

Right on! Thank you!(searching for ways to have an extra 1.4 million even more... how much was that turbocharged version again? Hmph...)Andrew

[LAdamson 240]

>Most aircraft will not be leaned at full power so climbs are>normally performed withoutn leaning. The exception to this is>if the power falls away to markedly as altitude increases,>when it may be necessary to lean the mixture to retain>performance. SO the principle is to get to cruise altitude,>with cruise power, then lean. The mistake is to use the dials>on the gauges to measure peak EGT with max or climb power set,>then try to achieve that when at cruise power!>At airports such as I fly out of (KSLC/U42 4200-4600' msl) we'll lean just after engine startup. Then during the run-up I'll lean until the engine runs rough & then richen the mixture approximately halfway from the run rough setting to full rich. At least this is a good "rule of thumb" starting point. If you don't lean for takeoff at these altitudes, you'll be loosing additional takeoff power. Depending on the day and density altitude in a Piper with throttle/mixture quadrant, you might find the mixture knob pulled anywhere from 1/3 to 1/2 towards lean before takeoff. Unlike what one might assume from a POH, we don't go full rich for landings either, in case of a "go around".Leaning is actually something to think about anytime density altitudes approach 3000' msl. FS2002 get's really noticable regarding leaning about 6000' and then simulates in "steps" from there.L.Adamson

[turner112 52]

Thanks Larry,This is turning out to be one of those threads I'm going to copy and paste into my reference book...Andrew

[Guest]

You should take into account the type of fuel sytem you aircraft has and where it is normally operated. If it is fuel injected you usually will not need to lean before takeoff or in a climb at high density altitude airports becuase the mechanic should have the fuel servo adjusted for the aircrafts normal operating area ie.... altitude and temperature. However if you travel from a cold area to a hot area your aircrafts idle and fuel servo setting may not compansate properly for the change in environment hence you may need to adjust the mixture. If your aircraft is carborated(sp) you will may need to adjust your mixture even before taxi for proper engine operation in high altitude or high temperature areas. As for the Baron it is fuel injected and it has altitude compensatinf fuel pumps which should do the trick untill cruise.

[Guest]

>Andrew>>The Baron has altitude compinsating fuel pumps which>automaticlly adjust the mixture with changes in altitude. I wasn't aware that was their purpose. I have always understood they provide the pressure in the fuel lines to deliver the fuel from the tanks to the engines, same as any other aircraft. Do you have an operations manual that confirms this? I have only ever heard of a couple of aircraft that have self-compensating mixture adjustment (believe it or not, the Antonov An-2 biplane does!)>The>power setting for the Baron during cruise climb should be full>throttle and 2500 RPMs @ 132 knots indicated airspeed. The>Baron is a great airplane but its engines are normally>aspirated. This means that as you get higher there is nothing>to compansate for the lack of air pressure at altitude. As a>result after about 9,000 feet the Baron's climb performance>really suffers. There are turbocharged version of the Baron>that will help. They use exhaust gases to turn a turbine that>pre compresses the air to help componsate for lack of air>pressure. Above 6,000 feet a good cruise setting is full>throttle and 2300 RPM's. When you lean the mixtures the>proper way is either 20C degrees rich of peak for maximum>performance or 20C degrees lean of peak for best economy. >This ussually ends up to be between 14.5 and 16 gallons per>hpour per side. The normal aspirated Baron loves to fly>between 7,000 feet and 10,000 feet.The files I linked contain both turbo and normally-aspirated models for the Baron. You can switch between them via a simple utility.ChasW

[LAdamson 240]

I don't know anything about "altitude compensating fuel pumps" for the Baron, but as to fuel injection engines, the fuel pump is just higher pressure than a carburated engine, as well as bypass/return fuel lines built into the system. A fuel injected Cessna 172SP or Piper Arrow will be leaned just like the carb versions. But startup is a bit different.As ChasW said, there are a few auto-mixture systems out there, but it's not the norm. Besides, I like the three levers----- it makes us look smarter! :)L.Adamson