Interesting observation. Care to elaborate?

I typically find the smoothest air in the upper 30's and low 40's. The 20's are where I get a lot of bumps. Mid teens are usually good as well. Of course, if there is a weather system with some energy impacting the area, then it becomes a guessing game. Sometimes a 2,000' change can take you from moderate to smooth.

Definitely need to have a good radar and know how to use it flying in the 20’s. With that, I have not found it limiting. In 15 years of flight level flying, I think I have only put down once for convection. And that was a wicked cold front from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico with a tornado spawning squall line, that was stopping almost everything including the airlines from crossing. Put the plane in a Hangar at Millionaire in St. Louis and watched the strongest squall line I had ever seen cross over. Certainly easier up high, but still no guarantee that it is wise or possible to cross a strong line. Tops in the 50’s will stop most things except an U2.

So sometimes you just have to go around. These tops were up to 55,000 feet

I haven't turned my radar on in months. Rarely needed at FL410.

My last flight had weather below us up to 35,000 ft. The turboprops were asking for deviations.

Smoothest air is typically in the high 30s. For one thing, the indicated airspeed is lower so bumps are not as severe due to increased AOA. A gust of 20 actual knots is only 10 indicated knots at that altitude. The air is just so thin as to not pack a huge punch.

On descent is where we get the major bumps. We're fast, light, and getting into thicker air.

Mike C.

One reason I never liked the FAA... their standards are too "high".

I haven't turned my radar on in months. Rarely needed at FL410.

My last flight had weather below us up to 35,000 ft. The turboprops were asking for deviations.

Smoothest air is typically in the high 30s. For one thing, the indicated airspeed is lower so bumps are not as severe due to increased AOA. A gust of 20 actual knots is only 10 indicated knots at that altitude. The air is just so thin as to not pack a huge punch.

On descent is where we get the major bumps. We're fast, light, and getting into thicker air.

Mike C.

Interesting observation. Care to elaborate?

So you never descend into anything that requires you to deviate? I’ve had the radar on at least a dozen times in the last month or so. Nothing scarier than a blind IMC descent into possible convective activity.

Not recently.


Agreed, just been fortunate this last few months.

Still, better to have to deal with weather only at the ends and not everywhere in-between.

Mike C.

And here I thought this thread was about P-51's.

Nxi will accept a Bluetooth link, which I appreciate. Radar upgrades are also available. New hardware, it’s fast and in widespread use so I expect to see strong support.[/quote]

I take it the newer 3000's accept bluetooth?

It took you 5 years and 41 pages to figure that out?

I managed and flew one for about 5 years. Glad to talk if you're interested.[/quote]


That's a lot closer to my TBM than I thought.[/quote]

An acquaintance and neighbor of my BIL has an Eclipse. He can’t get from Naples FL to SUS, 873 direct or ~900 with normal routing, without a stop. Southbound he can usually make it with tailwind. It does not have the range of the TBM in my questioning of this owner and another. Great plane but 1100nm out of S. FL to the midwest ??? Correct me if real world someone’s doing better with IFR reserves.

Similar costs per hour…

Robert

Great thread! I had previously convinced myself that a TBM was my next plane. Now, I’m seriously considering the Mustang. I’m 1200hr SEP, IR and a G1000Nxi junkie. I bought my G36 specifically for the transition to the next plane, which I assumed would be a SETP. My regular mission is 550nM (Vegas-Den, or Den-MSP area.

Looking at controller there are some reasonable US based options.

https://www.controller.com/listings/sea ... ountry=178

Does anyone have a Pirep for Jetaviva?