Where have you been? What have you seen?
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By Flyin'Dutch'
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#1640040
AFSAG wrote:Loved it
Thought the balance of the video was just right and demystified a lot of the processes


IR is GA's best kept secret.

Touring without one can be torture - unless one is content sitting in rainsoaked Portakabins and their equivalent all over Europe, with one and a capable aeroplane the world is your oyster.

PA32 delight to fly but a bit anaemic above 7-8kft.
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By 2Donkeys
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#1640041
PA32 delight to fly but a bit anaemic above 7-8kft.


I suspect you might find quite a few PA32 pilots would disagree with that sentiment @Flyin'Dutch' . The 300HP IO540 in most PA32s obeys the same laws of physics as every other normally aspirated piston engine. The weight of the aircraft compared to its engine size is not unusually high. I have found climb performance to be pretty consistent up to around. FL130 at MTOM after which it quickly declines. Very much as you’d expect.
Last edited by 2Donkeys on Mon Sep 24, 2018 7:08 am, edited 1 time in total.
By XX
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#1646800
Enjoyed the video - thanks.

I've noticed on the odd airways flight I've made (with an IR holder alongside) that quite big level descents are given quite late. This is (a) uncomfortable and (b) I always worry about shock cooling the TB. OK, one can pre-empt by reducing power slightly when anticipating a descent will be given. 2D, you will have made dozens of these in a TB, how do you find it in practice?

Having checked the AIP it appears possible to fly VFR to Schiphol, and that slots are not required for light GA.
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By 2Donkeys
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#1646837
Thanks @XX

Taking your observations in reverse order, it certainly is possible to arrive and depart VFR into Schiphol and no slot is required, exactly as you say. There is a so-called "Victor Sector" of the CTR through which you enter, which brings you in perpendicular to 22/04. From the UK, the route around to the Victor Sector is quite protracted and at low level which some may not enjoy. The views are spectacular though.

In terms of descents and the risk of shock cooling, I've now flown IFR for many hundreds of hours in both the TB20 and other light pistons with engine monitors on board. I've always been a very keen downloader and studier of the data that such devices capture. In fact, my new Garmin TXi kit makes it super easy by downloading it directly to the copy of Garmin Pilot running on my iPad and from there onto Garmin's website.

That data has convinced me that even quite substantial changes in MP to allow for 750-1000fpm descents at sensible airspeeds come nowhere near generating the sort of cooling rates that cause concern to Lycoming. In real terms, in the Lance, I can readily go for a full throttle cruise at FL100 (which equates to an MP of around 21") and bring the MP back to 18" and sustain that without any issue at all. In extremis, 16" does result in cylinder cooling, but still not at a rate that Lycoming regard as dangerous. I used to use similar techniques on the TB20 without adverse effects.

The other trick to all this of course is the use of the Mixture lever. Keeping the mixture appropriately lean during the descent, rather than just lazily pushing it forward at the TOD point is another valuable tool for keeping the CHTs (and EGTs) under control.
XX liked this
#1647127
Great Video thanks for posting.

Thanks for sharing the costs... I have looked at Rotterdam a few times as an alternative to Schiphol, it was less than I thought it would be especially if shared with a few people. (Only marginally more than Glasgow which would be best part of £250 for an hour on the ground drop off!)

It’s good to see a major hub airport, while expensive, is not totally out of bounds to GA.

How was getting in and out of the airport with the GA terminal ?
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By 2Donkeys
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#1647154
The GA Terminal couldn't have been easier. On arrival, as you will have seen, you are collected directly from the aircraft by minibus, and walked past Customs. The handling agents request that you provide a GENDEC up front, so there is no delay on that side and you are good to go within perhaps 10 minutes of landing.

Taxis/Ubers are available on a few minutes' notice from the terminal, and travel into the centre of Amsterdam by Uber takes no more than 20-25 minutes.

On departure, it took just a few minutes to pay the bill, after which you are driven out the aircraft and depart in your own sweet time. Departure slots (separate from flight plan) are handled seamlessly by the handling agents, so weren't an issue either.

The cavalcade of frequencies required on the GA ramp to obtain IFR clearance, startup clearance, taxi etc is explained on a 1-page handout which avoided reading pages of Jepp descriptions, so even that was easy too.

Not a cheap experience, but one of the slickest I've experienced at a large airport anywhere in Europe.
By XX
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1647183
Alex

I did Rotterdam quite a few years ago now and it was so easy I can't remember the exact procedure. But it wasn't at all expensive. A quick search today suggests a 24 hour visit in an up to 1500 kgs aircraft would cost you about 70 euros, rather less than the figure you mention?

I do remember a short taxi ride to a station and then easy train into Amsterdam.

Other forumites often mention Lelystad as a cheap alternative.