Normally I slow down very early, at least a few NM out before I begin the pattern, I sometimes need to use the speed brake to get the speed down, as this is one slippery plane, and then I drop the first notch of flaps and bring the gear down. This brings the speed down to about 110kts, and they I gradually slow down, to around 80-90kts, by adjusting pitch and trimming. When on final, I lower the flaps as needed, and normally touch down at a managable speed of 70-80kts.

 

It just takes a bit more planning than say flying a C172, because you need to make sure your slowdown and descend well in advance of entering the pattern.

I've thought about the shockcooling effect of pulling the throttle back as well. Pulling the throttle back to 12" or lower as I have been doing, would be a big no-no in the RW. You'd eventually see some cylinders start cracking eventually if that was the normal way that the engine was being operated.

 

I remember reading somewhere where real-world pilots were debating as to whether shock-cooling was actually a real worry. Nobody in the thread would say either way. Personally, I don't know.

 

That depends on the aircraft. 152's, 172's, even the 201 I used to fly, you did not necessarily keep power into the flare.

 

I was talking about the Legacy. Again, I'm not sure why but I'm wondering if they're worried about the stall and roll characteristics of the airplane.

If you're really concerned about it, one technique to ward off shock cooling is to make power reductions from cruise very slowly, usually 1" a minute or some variation of this. In the FSX Lancair, cruising at 8000' and about 22" MAP, try starting this method when your GPS says you're 12 minutes from destination. I think it is a quite viable--but tedious--way of operating the airplane. It will get you down and slowed without the speedbrakes, and the CHTs stay in line.

keep temps low fly by sight land at 120 knkts or more this plane need a longer run way

 

Yeah I don't understand either the "keep temps low". The just need to be follow manf. recommendations like not pushing up power until engine warm... Stay above minimum CHT and stay below Max Recommended Operating Temp... make very smooth power changes (no "chop and drop")...

 

And 120kts is way too fast for this plane. It fits in just fine @ Flora, IN (5I2 - 2100' turf).

 

 

From Don Barnes: Building a Lancair Legacy

 

"getting close to my destination, get it slowed to 160 KIAS at 10 miles out and upon reaching 5 miles open the speed brakes, bring out 10 degrees of flaps, drop the gear and keep it at 120 KIAS until a mile final then slow to 100 KIAS."

 

 

Pulling the throttle back to 12" or lower as I have been doing, would be a big no-no in the RW. You'd eventually see some cylinders start cracking eventually if that was the normal way that the engine was being operated.

 

I don't think this is necessarily true. One reason... every time you shutoff the engine you get large temp reductions/time. I think much more important to operate smoothly.

 

That said, pulling back to 15" during a letdown is one of Lycoming's recommendations (which obviously wise to follow).

 

"Lycoming Service Instruction 1094D recommends a maximum temperature change of 50˚ F per minute to avoid shock-cooling of the cylinders." (I know a Continental IO-550 is "typical").

LOBO (Legacy Owner and Builders Organization) has a Legacy training manual. It has recommended power settings, speed, altitude et cetera. Working with the simulator I have made many mistakes, shock cooling for one. My conclusion for long descents (like out of the Rockies to the eastern plains) is that high RPM, low manifold pressure, and gradual enrichening with a 1000' FPM descent at 220kts works just fine. Engine temps stay well above 200 degrees. RW? Dunno.

"Low manifold pressure" on a long descent being 17-18". Manifold pressure in the pattern is 11-13". Check out the LOBO training manual, it has great graphics showing speeds and settings at various points in the pattern.

AVWeb article from '96 on shock cooling:

 

http://www.avweb.com/news/maint/182883-1.html?redirected=1

 

 

But with the autopilot engaged to ensure level flight, I pull the power back to 17", it does not want to slow down. It's not until I'm back to less than 12" do I start to see any erosion in speed.

 

Just an observation - and not from a RL pilot, so take it with many, many grains of salt - but I'm wondering if, by keeping the autopilot in, you might be forcing the aircraft to stay in a slightly nose-down cruise trim... which in turn would keep the speed high.  It's a slippery airplane, and if it's trimmed for level flight, it'll bleed off speed slowly, even at moderate power.  If you hand-fly it, you can pull the power down more, hold the nose up (as Ryan suggested) to dirty the aircraft up a bit, then when you're at your target speed, let in a bit more power and re-trim for level flight at your new airspeed.  Might be worth experimenting with.

 

Again, this is not based on any real-world experience, and if I'm wrong, I hope qualified real-world pilots will let me know that by throwing things in my general direction.   B)