Yesterday, I received my High Performance Endorsement...
The Cessna 172 that had been assigned to our Civil Air Patrol squadron for the last few years was recently replaced with a C-182R.
This gave me the opportunity to fly with one of the Instructor Pilots and learn some new skills.
The C-182 can generally be considered to mostly just be a slightly larger, slightly heavier, slightly more powerful, slightly faster version of the 172. It has greater fuel capacity, greater payload, and a higher horsepower engine (230 HP vs. 180 HP).
Technically, what makes it High Performance is that fact that the engine has more than 200 HP.
In addition to the differences noted above, there are two other primary differences between the C-172 and the C-182: the 182 has a controllable pitch propeller (also called a constant speed propeller)and cowl flaps.
In terms of differences in operation, the big differences relate to the controllable pitch propeller and the fact that the 182 is much more nose heavy than the 172.
The variable pitch propeller means that there is one more knob to twiddle, and a different way of viewing engine power - via a new gauge: engine manifold pressure. This page, and the pages following it, have a good description of the specifics.
In terms of flying differences, in addition to having to remember differences in airspeeds and having a few more items on the check lists, the one really big difference shows up after turning final till landing. On the 182, if you pull the power all the way back, the airplane sinks noticeably. Also, because the airplane is more nose heavy, it requires more nose up trim, and even with trim, you have to concentrate quite a bit more to keep the nose from dropping right before touch down. Due to these factors, it is much more effective to maintain some power all the way through flare (which needs to be no more than a few feet above the ground) and touchdown.
All in all, the transition to the C-182 wasn't too tough. Just different enough to be exciting - although I was glad to have an instructor in the aircraft during that first landing approach when the sink set in and it felt like the bottom was dropping out.
Given all the hours I spent sitting in the back of a 182 in my youth (lots of take-offs, not many landings) it has been a real kick to finally get to fly one.
Tomorrow, I will go for my Abbreviated Form 5 Check Ride, which, after I (hopefully) pass, will allow me to fly the CAP aircraft without having to be accompanied by an instructor.
It will also position me to get checked out in the C-206 which is supposed to show up at the squadron hangar on Saturday.
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Posted by David at January 21, 2009 03:51 PM | Categorized under: A day in the life, Flying