Which I don’t disagree with, and never advocated otherwise, although the POH in my 2006 SR22 does not call for it in the Engine Failure checklist, nor does it say to do that to get best glide. Throttle to idle is in the Forced Landing checklist along with a few other steps to accomplish before landing, but again no mention is made of the need to do that to obtain best glide.

Here's the point, which my previous comments as a "Cirrus driver" addressed in response to the OP's query: it is my understanding that the pilot cannot bring the Cirrus prop to full coarse pitch as you can on the Bonanza and any other plane with a prop control lever, which in my experience explains why the glide ratio in a Cirrus is significantly compromised compared to what is achievable in aircraft with prop control levers.

Is this a big deal? I don't think so. As I said previously, a reasonably priced STC is available to add a prop control as a rather simple mod, but most Cirrus owners are satisfied with the factory design that has its own advantages pointed out in the video.

Disclaimer: I'm not a bonanza driver

How would the Bo get a "better" glide ratio via a prop lever? If you had an engine failure in Bo, how would you get the prop to coarse pitch? (Don't you need oil pressure for that?)

The Cirrus may not have the same glide ratio as a Bo, but that could be due more to the fixed gear than anything else.

If you flew a Bo and pulled the throttle to idle and established best glide speed, noted the VSI, and then pulled the prop level back to max high pitch, you'd notice the rate of descent would immediately decrease. It's so pronounced you can easily feel it by the seat of your pants as well. You do need oil pressure - if the prop loses oil it goes back to low pitch. That's perhaps why the POH seems to post glide ratios with the prop full forward - you can't assume you will always have oil pressure with an engine failure.

If you leave the prop lever full forward in a Bo, the descent is a little better than a Cirrus, probably due to the drag of the Cirrus's fixed gear. If you pull the Bo's prop lever back all the way, the Bo's glide ratio is much better than a Cirrus.

If the engine failure resulted in a windmilling propeller, you would have enough oil pressure to move the prop to coarse pitch.

If the engine failure seized the engine (not turning), you're stuck with what you have. A stopped prop that's very flat.

If the engine failure resulted in a windmilling propeller, you would have enough oil pressure to move the prop to coarse pitch.

If the engine failure seized the engine (not turning), you're stuck with what you have. A stopped prop that's very flat.

Wally-

Thanks for the explanation... that's what I was assuming you guys meant with regard to the glide profiles.



I agree with you 100%. The academic scenario posed earlier suggests the Cirrus would do worse in an engine failure because it can't feather the prop due to the single power lever. But, in an "engine failure" in a plane with a dedicated prop lever, I wouldn't be confident that I'd have a "prop feathering" card to pull out my bag of pilots tricks. Usually in an emergency, things only get worse, not better.

The chute is not without it's flaws, but I'd prefer a chute over a better glide. Just my opinion of course!

The best glide is a stopped prop. It surpasses course or fine.
As such, if you want the range, nose up and almost stall the plane to get the engine/prop to stop. Then go to best glide speed.

Tim

Academically . . . maybe . . . in actuality . . . probably not gonna do that . . .

at which point it will start windmilling again. At least that's what happened when I tried it in a 182RG

at which point it will start windmilling again. At least that's what happened when I tried it in a 182RG

Academically . . . maybe . . . in actuality . . . probably not gonna do that . . .

yeah, did every combination you could imagine, could not keep the prop stopped. Was trying to not have it turning for a belly landing. Finally decided to stop messing with it and just land the plane, before i turned a minor accident into a major one.

yeah, did every combination you could imagine, could not keep the prop stopped. Was trying to not have it turning for a belly landing. Finally decided to stop messing with it and just land the plane, before i turned a minor accident into a major one.

yeah, did every combination you could imagine, could not keep the prop stopped. Was trying to not have it turning for a belly landing. Finally decided to stop messing with it and just land the plane, before i turned a minor accident into a major one.

what does the mixture have to do with cylinder compression