High Altitude

[JG3]

There's a really interesting account of flying a Savannah at 14.500 ft, on the Yahoo forum at http://au.mg4.mail.yahoo.com/dc/launch?.rand=eoakulfspom13

 

Flying at 14,500 over terrain at 14,000 must be somewhat exciting!

 

JG

 

ps- I just tried that link and it doesn't straight to the post. You have to click INBOX then the particular post.

 

I hope it works for you.....

 

 

[Guest JRMobile]

Hi JG3

 

the link provided takes you straight to a "Sign in to Yahoo!" page!

 

 

[JG3]

Yeh, I don't know how all this stuff works.....

 

So here is a cut and paste of the text.

 

.........................................................

 

I worried about the high altitude performance of the Savannah prior to purchasing my kit. I live in Denver, CO and fly out of Erie (KEIK) airport – elevation 5100 feet.

 

I completed the kit in June 2010 and now have about 50 hours on the plane. It is a Savannah VGW with a 100 hp Rotax engine. I use 91 octane Mogas. I flew it to Oshkosh in July without any problems.

 

I recently flew the Savannah round trip from KEIK to Leadville (KLXV – 9924 feet) located in the middle of the Rocky Mountains. I used "normal" techniques on all parts of the flight. No attempt was made to achieve maximum performance. I departed KEIK with full fuel (21 gals) and two adults (200 & 140 pounds). My plane weighs 633 pounds. Takeoff weight was 1099 pounds, well below the max gross of 1234. With calm wind, density altitude(DA) 7300 feet and one notch of flaps, the takeoff roll was ~400 feet.

 

I climbed to 14,500 feet to clear the Rocky Mountains (peaks at 14,000). Initial climb was ~600/min. Climb at 14,500 was ~100/min. Typical speed for my plane at 5200 RPM and 7000 feet is ~100 mph. Speed at full throttle (4900 RPM) and 14,500 was ~70 mph.

 

The take off at KLXV erased my worry about high altitude performance of the Savannah. KLXV has a 6400 feet long paved runway. With full fuel, two adults (1099 pounds) calm wind, DA of 11,300 feet and one notch of flaps my take off roll was ~600 feet. Initial climb was ~200/min.

 

 

[Spin]

Thanks for the cut n paste job John, interesting read.

 

 

[Tomo]

Some pretty good figures there.

 

 

[eightyknots]

I couldn't access this via my Yahoo sign-in (I'm a member of the Savannah group). Were there any picture attachments?

 

 

[JG3]

Nope no pictures.... Must be pretty spectacular scenery I'm thinking.

 

JG

 

 

[hihosland]

on the 18th I did essentially the same journey from Denver Centenial airfield to Leadville in a Rotax 100 powered Skyranger.

 

Aircraft performed perfectly at 13,000 ft and the EGT never varied during the climb from 6000ft, obviously those compensating Bing carbies work OK.

 

Quite a change from puttering around a few hundred feet above sea level at Yarram.

 

All that i can say about Colorado is that if you get a chance

 

GO THERE,

 

the scenery is absolutly mind blowing.

 

best of wishes

 

Davidh

 

 

[hihosland]

See post today under "Skyranger owners and builders ..." for story of Skyranger at high altitude.

 

cheers

 

Davidh