Complex and High Performance Endorsement Notes Piper Arrow PA28R-200

Engine and Propellor Control

The Basic Controls
The most basic single engine general aviation aircraft have a xed-pitch propellor. This means that the propellor is rigidly attached to the crankshaft of the engine, and can not move in any other way other than with the rotation of the engine. As long as the mixture is kept within specied limits at all time, the thrust will essentially be controlled using the throttle alone. In an aircraft with a variable pitch propellor, there is a knob in addition to throttle and mixture, which is the propellor pitch control. This lever contols the pitch of the propellor such that the engine maintains a constant RPM, even if the throttle and airspeed are changed. These controls are arranged from left to right: throttle, prop, mixture. The throttle is usually black, prop blue, mixture red. The throttle lever controls manifold pressure, the propellor lever controls RPM. Pushing the propellor lever all the way forward will give a at, or ne pitch, which will result in a higher RPM setting. Pulling the propellor lever back will give a coarse propellor setting and lower RPM.

How the System Works

The pitch of the propellor blade is controlled by oil pressure. With no oil pressure going to the propellor, it will revert to a ne pitch setting. As the oil pressure to the propellor is increased the propellor pitch will become more coarse. However, in a small general aviation aircraft, we do not directly control oil pressure to the propellor. Instead, the propellor lever sets a governor, which in turn adjusts the oil pressure going to the propellor. The governor works by balancing centrifugal force on a set of spinning yweights with speeder spring pressure set by the propellor pitch lever to control oil ow and govern RPM. In an equilibrium setting the centrifugal force outwards on the yweights is exactly balanced by the spring pressure. In this case there is no oil to or from the propellor. If engine power is suddenly reduced, engine RPM will have an initial tendency to reduce. As this happens, the cetrifugal force decreases, and the spring pressure depresses the piston downwards, allowing some of the oil pressure at the propellor to drain to the sump of the engine. This causes the propellor pitch to decrease, thus restoring constant RPM back at the initial setting. If the governor or propellor fails and oil pressure at the propellor is lost, it will revert to a ne pitch setting.

During Runup
1. Pull prop out 2. Resistance on propellor goes up Engine RPM should drop due to increased resistance Oil pressure should decrease since some oil had to go to the propellor to make the pitch change Manifold pressure should go up due to drop in RPM 3. Push prop back in

4. Resistance on propellor decreases RPM should return to original RPM - check this each time Oil pressure should return to original pressure, and check for oil leaks from prop on cowl Manifold pressure should decrease back to original pressure

Throttle and Propellor Control During Flight

Generally want higher RPM than manifold pressure. Do not want to have low RPM and high manifold pressure. This is like lugging a car in high gear up a hill at low RPM. Takeoff: full power Initial climbout: full power to altitude of 500ft AGLpower reduction to climb power General Enroute Climb Procedure: To climb: RL: mixture, prop, throttle. This is assuming we are ying at altitude and the engine has been leaned for the current manifold pressure and RPM. If we are going to increase engine output in order to climb by increasing manifold pressure and RPM, we must rst make the mixture rich. This will allow for better power and cooling during the climb. Next increase the prop (push it forward). This will atten the propeller and allow the RPM to increase. Once the RPM has been increased to the desired setting, nally increase the manifold pressure to the desired amount by adding power with the throttle. prop out (cruise) set power settings as recommended in piper arrow information manual

Before Landing
Before landing in a complex aircraft, the GUMPS checklist should be run three times: 1. Downwind 2. Base 3. Final Increasing the propellor lever to full RPM can be left until base, or in some cases even nal to minimize noise generated by the propellor. Last chance: 3 green lights
C G U M P S Cessna: Carb heat On Gas: fuel selector valve to Both or Fullest Tank, fuel pump on Undercarriage: Down Mixture: Full Rich Propellor: Full In Switches and Seatbelts: landing light on

altitude engines require manifold pressure gauge (turbo or supercharger=altitude engine?) altitude engine- reciprocating engine whose rated takeoff power can be produced at an established higher altitude (FAR 91.205) On piper arrow and most single engine planes, prop does not feather (face directly into the wind) or reverse.

Landing Gear System

Types of retractable landing gear Electric over hydraulic - electric motor powers hydraulic pump to use the pressure to raise and hold landing gear in the up position Hydraulic - hydraulic pump