Since the carb heat uses heat from the engine, it's possible that if the engine cools off too much during a long descent at idle, applying carb heat can result in...Well absolutely nothing - no power at all...

 

Yikes!

 

Yikes indeed! Actually, I'm not sure whether A2A's simulation of carb heat itself takes into account EGT. Maybe it's a question I should raise over on their forum. From what I've seen, applying full carb heat in the Cherokee is a rather quick and effective remedy, so probably not.  

 

Cheers,

Nick

Thank you very much for all the replys.

 

 

Sounds like carb ice to me.If you notice a drop in rpm, carb heat should be turned on

Thinking back now there is a lot i missed,  just before i went down i checked the outside temperature, it was -8, so obviously i would say this was a big part of my problem.

 

 

 

There's a couple other items to hit, like turning on the boost pump, switching tanks, checking mixture etc.

I should have hit the boost/electric pumps even for experimental reasons,  the fascinating thing about Acu Sim for me anyway is not know what i done wrong, a great learning curve.

I done a preflight alright, went though all my pages,  even up graded my tyres    I will be doing the exact same flight tommorow evening and see how i get on 

 

 

With the leaning on the ground

Thank you Diego for your detailed answer interesting stuff,  i have sooo much to learn.

 

 

 

No - I'm with Great Ozzie on this one. The symptoms described by Elaine sound most like carburettor icing.

Thanks Nick for the 2 links.  Yes i will be learning a lot more about Carb Ice  and the engine leaning is also very interesting,  amazing how one thing can effect another.    

 A2A Acu Sim Absolutely fascinating software,  loving it.   Have the C182 but much rather this little plane. 

Here's an chart showing carby icing conditions. In the Cherokees you would always set carby heat on when reducing power to 1500rpm late downwind just before turning base. Depending on how wide your circuit was, you would turn carby heat off as you added power on final. If I remember correctly, tight circuits would be 1500rpm all the way down to the runway then idle for touchdown (carby heat off about 300ft). Wider circuits (YSBK were always wide due to traffic, your descent was shallower and generally kept it at 2000rpm at 500ft. As you set your last stage of flap, you would turn carby heat off.

 

Here is a video of me doing an hour of circuits at YSBK in VH-UBM (PA28-180) Benny Hill style