- Joined
- Dec 24, 2011
- Messages
- 71
- Reaction score
- 3
I fly off a 2700' grass strip in the NC foothills. I bought the plane(`65 PA28-180 3600TT/310SMOH) last December and was extremely pleased with the performance on our strip, compared to the 160hp C172 I had been flying off the same field. Well...as things have gotten warmer, and I`ve become comfortable flying friends with it, I`m not as pleased. I`ve found it loves runway, even on pavement, and if the grass isn`t cut weekly it is really sluggish until it gets well into ground effect. With me alone (200lbs) and full tanks it does ok, but add another 150-200# pass and I cross the fence at about 40ft with 2notches of flaps. I`ve tried 1 notch, but it takes a lot longer to get out of the grass.
It has a 62" pitch prop, and cruises 115-125kts depending on how hard I push it. I like that and don`t want to lose it. I`ve noticed Sensenitch lists 2 props for this model, a 58" climb and a 60" cruise. The 62 on mine is actually for a later model Archer. Static RPM is 2275 according to the AP at the last annual, and I usually see 2300 at takeoff prior to reaching about 60kts on the ASI, then it`ll creep up to 2500. Yeah, I know I need to get the tach verified...
Anyway, would a pair of Hoerner/etc style wingtips help much, or do I really need to look at replacing the prop with a 60"? I`d like a decent short field performance, but want to keep from losing the cruise speed if I can. Eating 1800ft of grass in a mountain valley makes me a bit shaky, and it`s only April....
It has a 62" pitch prop, and cruises 115-125kts depending on how hard I push it. I like that and don`t want to lose it. I`ve noticed Sensenitch lists 2 props for this model, a 58" climb and a 60" cruise. The 62 on mine is actually for a later model Archer. Static RPM is 2275 according to the AP at the last annual, and I usually see 2300 at takeoff prior to reaching about 60kts on the ASI, then it`ll creep up to 2500. Yeah, I know I need to get the tach verified...
Anyway, would a pair of Hoerner/etc style wingtips help much, or do I really need to look at replacing the prop with a 60"? I`d like a decent short field performance, but want to keep from losing the cruise speed if I can. Eating 1800ft of grass in a mountain valley makes me a bit shaky, and it`s only April....
