huv wrote:
But do not go to the other extreme either. Most pilots believe that all planes climb best with flaps up as a law of nature. It is not so. The DA-40 climbs best, both rate and gradient, with partial flaps. Even the diesel-converted Piper 151 in our club climbs better using 10° of flaps than with flaps up.
That means that drag is less with partial flaps than with no flaps. How is that possible?
I always land with full flaps in my A36 unless I’m doing a touch-and-go. And all my approaches are practice short-field.
Airborne_Again wrote:
That means that drag is less with partial flaps than with no flaps. How is that possible?
it´s not about drag only, it´s about drag/lift ratio. I agree some airplanes are climbing better with flaps down (partly, of course).
On any airplane with electrically actuated flaps, you should train flapless landings. Even an airliner can land flapless in a bind. It is a matter of higher speed and correct attitude. I really do not see how the SR22 should be different from any other airplane.
@Aviathor
Sure, sure, you don’t have to lecture me about the theory of flapless landings ;-) And if you do it right and are not too slow, you’ll be fine. But of course a flapless landing in a SR22 is completely different thing than in a Skyhawk. If you’re just a little bit too slow you’ll have a very high angle of attack on touchdown. In the official Cirrus transition training a speed of 90 KIAS is used for zero flap landings. And that carries its own risk, and some less experienced pilots lost control after touchdown.
Flyer59 wrote:
If you’re just a little bit too slow you’ll have a very high angle of attack on touchdown.
That is true of a landing with full flaps also. Too high a flare, the pilot tries to cushion the touchdown by raising the nose… So again nothing special for the SR22.
In the official Cirrus transition training a speed of 90 KIAS is used for zero flap landings.
That sounds about right for an airplane that stalls at 70 KIAS (most unfavourable conditions – max gross) clean.
I still do not understand why so many people try make us believe how special the Cirri are.
Well, every airplane is just a little different, that’s all. And of course a high performance wing like the SR2x’s needs a much higher AOA when you land it without flaps. That’s true for Cirrus aircraft, Mooneys, Lancairs. Fact is that many SR2x’s were damaged in no flap landings.
Flyer59 wrote:
And of course a high performance wing like the SR2x’s needs a much higher AOA when you land it without flaps.
I disagree. If you have a high AOA you are too slow regardless of flap setting.
Fact is that many SR2x’s were damaged in no flap landings.
So, either the POH is inadequate or pilot training is inadequate.
