Flight Training Central

SEPTEMBER 9, 2024

Among the performance elements are takeoff and landing distances, rate of climb, ceiling, speed, payload, and fuel economy. What effect does high density altitude have on aircraft performance? What is the headwind component for a landing on Runway 18 if the tower reports the wind as 215° at 30 knots? 1,300-foot increase.

Density Altitude 105

Density Altitude Knot Ground Effect True Airspeed 105

Air Facts

MAY 24, 2024

Even though this was late May, it was early enough in the day that the temperatures and density altitude hadn’t climbed to outrageous heights—yet. With a little forward pressure on the yoke, I was able to keep the airplane on the runway to continue picking up airspeed as we arrived at my target of 60 knots for takeoff.

Aileron 98

Aileron Crosswind Knot Runway 98

Air Facts

AUGUST 5, 2024

Outside of the marine layer that incessantly taunts the coastal areas, back home your experiences with density altitude are minimal. The weather is VMC but it’s hot, and the density altitude is really creeping up there. In the time it took me to write all of this, the Density Altitude moved up to 8000’!

Density Altitude 98

Density Altitude Ceiling Runway Weather 98

Plane and Pilot

OCTOBER 3, 2024

We routinely taxi at 1200 rpm due to the low spray…[we] can cruise at 10 knots” in displacement mode, something a Goose can’t do. Early on a speed restriction of 130 knots was applied as a flutter issue. This was resolved on the kit version and led to cruising at 50% power and 120 knots, which proved to be the Gweduck’s sweet spot.

Airplanes 79

Airplanes Rudder Knot Aileron 79