A-65; GPH and Cruise?

[mhorowit]

Sorry; I don't have the specs on my prop and the answer is at least somewhat dependant on that fact; however, I got to assume what I'm going to hear can be averaged so ...... for you A-65 owners --
what do you use as a planning airspeed (no wind of course) and GPH used? - Mike

[Robert Lees]

A-65:

3.5 imperial gal/hr

(I guess about 4gph for you US Gallon-using peoples, you always do short-change the Brits)

95-100 mph (imperial mph of course).

Rob

[lktiller]

Last Saturday experience: Used AOPA flight planner. planned to depart GAD, fly direct LGC, land 5A2. 152 SM, 1:48 hrs @ 85mph, 10 gal. Sounds simple!

Actual conditions: direct headwind going. Airspeed = 95mph. Groundspeed per GPS = 65-70. Altitude 2500 MSL. Landed LGC 2 hrs later and took on 10 gal. 100LL.
Left LGC climbed to 6500, GS=75 mph. Landed 5A2 1.5 hrs later. Right on time!

Departed 5A2, Wind had diminished. GS=100mph. Landed again at LGC and took on 10 more gal. Flew on home and had exactly the same amount of fuel left that I originally took off with. 14 Gal.

SO! The trip took 5 hrs and 20 gal. Nothing near what I calculated!
The extra fuel usage was my fault. I kept rpm above 2300 to see if I could compensate for the wind. Did very little good.

[Homsie]

For on-line flight planning I like to use http://www.fltplan.com

It's nice and clean, easy to use and doesn't overkill on the information.

I've set up my profile as follows:

Climb at 70 knots - 5gph
Crusie at 80 knots - 4gph
descend at 80 knots - 3gph

I've yet to be more than .5 gallon difference on fuel burn and am usually within +/- 10 minutes of ETA. Personally, I don't think I need to be any closer than that!

Cheers

[hawaiiJim]

Great Hawaiian Air Race

Check out GHAR link http://www.flyhawaii.com/GHAR.html
We have two 2nd place finishes proficiency using 4.1 GPH maintaining 60 kts for 8 hours.