I often fly with a friend who has a 2016 NA SR22. My 96 PA32-301 is non-turbo as well. His plane has a computer system that controls engine trim and of course mine is all manually adjusted. When we fly low, our performance is similar with him a bit faster and little lower GPH. We left Ruidoso today around 1130am (DA 9000+) and while it sucked, I got off with plenty of runway, albeit a bit mushy on the way out (uncomfortably so). Our climb rates were similar, but his forward climb speed was much better. I attribute that to his lighter weight.
The thing I couldn't figure out was why he was going 20kt faster at 11,500'. I asked his current engine parameters and he was 18.8MP and 2625rpm. My POH has no recommended setting higher than 2300 at that low of MP at 11500'. I was at 19MP and slowly ran it up to 2600 to see what would happen and sure enough, I went a lot faster (like 15kt). I didn't leave it there long d/t not knowing what the repercussions would be. Why will his computer run his lycoming like that but I cannot on a very similar engine?
The thing I couldn't figure out was why he was going 20kt faster at 11,500'. I asked his current engine parameters and he was 18.8MP and 2625rpm. My POH has no recommended setting higher than 2300 at that low of MP at 11500'. I was at 19MP and slowly ran it up to 2600 to see what would happen and sure enough, I went a lot faster (like 15kt). I didn't leave it there long d/t not knowing what the repercussions would be. Why will his computer run his lycoming like that but I cannot on a very similar engine?
