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Catching up to a cold front

airguy

Unrepentant fanboy
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Interesting flight home today - I left Reno (actually Carson City KCXP) and climbed up to 17,000 for the flight home to Texas, enjoying a rather nice tailwind from the cold front that had come through Reno the day before - right up until I caught up to the leading edge and passed through it in New Mexico.

Take a look at this flighaware track from today - https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N16GN/history/20210920/1430Z/KCXP/73XS

You can see quite clearly by looking at my groundspeed just where I got into the leading edge of the front about 2/3 of the way home, and then flew out of it.

I saw ~35 knots tail component for the first half of the flight - nice enough that my trip home, just over 1000 nautical, took 6.0 hours start to stop and burned only 39 gallons.
 

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Display Info

I don't think they could display anymore information on one screen.
Looks fantastic!
 
I don't think they could display anymore information on one screen.
Looks fantastic!

Oh, we've already past the point of having enough information to fill the screen - there are lots more things that could be on there, you have to prioritize them for the space available.
 
Information

Greg, have you found reading the information to be ever be difficult? When I look at the screen, my mind is saying information overload even though I know that everything on the screen is needed at some point. I’m fixing to upgrade and was wondering about the readability.
Thanks,
Craig
 
Greg, have you found reading the information to be ever be difficult? When I look at the screen, my mind is saying information overload even though I know that everything on the screen is needed at some point. I’m fixing to upgrade and was wondering about the readability.
Thanks,
Craig

Yes - that's a valid point - when I first installed the Dynon screens I did not have nearly so much "stuff" on them, because I found it difficult to pick out rapidly what I wanted to see. I put the "kills me fast" things on first as priority, flew with them until I was comfortable, and then starting adding the "kills me slow" stuff and flew with that awhile, then started putting in the "nice to have" stuff. The result is what you see today - but it's definitely a learning curve until you get used to it. Now we have 3 airplanes with HDX screens all setup exactly the same - same info boxes in the same places - so everything is where it's supposed to be no matter which plane we fly. We are looking for an RV10, and I'll set the panel up the same way for the same reason.

I fly about 200 hours a year and do a lot more cross-country than most pilots by far - so my choices are a bit weighted toward the XC information selection as well, which by nature goes into the "nice to have" category and results in a little more panel clutter.
 
I agree with Greg. During transition training, I had a hard time adjusting to information being in different parts of the screen and being able to quickly find it my scan.

Alex D. then had me put the PFD in a simulated six pack screen mode and the MFD in the traditional EFIS screen mode. It took me about ten hours to adjust to the new screen formats. It doesn’t take long and as Greg mentioned you can handle much more information being displayed if you ease into over time.

Try doing is one big jump and it’s easy to get overwhelmed.
 
Oh, we've already past the point of having enough information to fill the screen - there are lots more things that could be on there, you have to prioritize them for the space available.

why the heck are you reading OAT temperature in Fahrenheit? it's been Celcius for a looooong time now. looks like a good trip.
 
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Fahrenheit gives you almost double—1.8x—the precision of Celsius without having to delve into decimals, which are not displayed.
 
Fahrenheit gives you almost double—1.8x—the precision of Celsius without having to delve into decimals, which are not displayed.

but nobody knows what it means anymore. move to Celcius.

100C = boiling
40C = hot weather
23C = nice weather
15C = standard day weather
0C = freezing
 
Interesting flight home today - I left Reno (actually Carson City KCXP) and climbed up to 17,000 for the flight home to Texas, enjoying a rather nice tailwind from the cold front that had come through Reno the day before - right up until I caught up to the leading edge and passed through it in New Mexico.

Take a look at this flighaware track from today - https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N16GN

You can see quite clearly by looking at my groundspeed just where I got into the leading edge of the front about 2/3 of the way home, and then flew out of it.

I saw ~35 knots tail component for the first half of the flight - nice enough that my trip home, just over 1000 nautical, took 6.0 hours start to stop and burned only 39 gallons.
How many gallons do you hold? What ER tanks do you have?
 
Info Overload

Here is my info overload panel from 2006. In the planning phase for upgrading next year. Lots of choices!
 

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but nobody knows what it means anymore. move to Celcius.

100C = boiling
40C = hot weather
23C = nice weather
15C = standard day weather
0C = freezing

Until you get into ice - and call in a report to ATC - and they want to know the OAT in Fahrenheit. Aside from that, we had a small little argument back around 1776 to make sure we don't have to pay attention to what other people do. :cool:

How many gallons do you hold? What ER tanks do you have?

I have 67 gallons total capacity, the standard 36 for a 9A with the plans-built inboard tanks, and then I converted my outboard leading edges into additional tanks at 15.5 gallons each, that feed into the inboards. Since I normally burn 93E10 from my home strip supply, I can tanker fuel out to any destination up to 3-ish hours away and not have to buy 100LL for the trip back. My fuel cost runs about $3.25 per gallon locally.
 
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Until you get into ice - and call in a report to ATC - and they want to know the OAT in Fahrenheit. Aside from that, we had a small little argument back around 1776 to make sure we don't have to pay attention to what other people do. :cool:

Fahren..who? Was he part of that argument in 1776? Kelvin and Celsius gave up on the 13 little colonies in the Americas. :D

Kidding aside, you know you're flying a long way when transitioning between different weather systems.
 
Greg,

You picked a great day to fly back, as far as winds go! I did nearly the same trip yesterday (KRTS-MVA-ILC-KPGA, KPGA-F98, F98-07TS), and had crosswinds with a touch of headwind (eastbound...ugh) for 2/3 of the way. Here's my FlightAware link:

A few of the practice day and qual day flights from Reno are lower on the list too...but the tracks aren't quite in the right place. Did get a 280 hit in the valley of speed though :D

As for F vs C...at work in LUV jets, we get really good at the conversion...since our colonist pax still like to hear it in F. So much for converting to metric by 1975 (what they said when I was in High School). But my OAT reads F too...otherwise when would my lovely bride know when to complain about it being too cold or too hot. We all have our crosses to bear, eh! :p

Oh, and Greg...you did that in one leg? My bladder is screaming just thinking about that! :p

Cheers,
Bob
 
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Greg,

You picked a great day to fly back, as far as winds go! I did nearly the same trip yesterday (KRTS-MVA-ILC-KPGA, KPGA-F98, F98-07TS), and had crosswinds with a touch of headwind (eastbound...ugh) for 2/3 of the way. Here's my FlightAware link:

A few of the practice day and qual day flights from Reno are lower on the list too...but the tracks aren't quite in the right place. Did get a 280 hit in the valley of speed though :D

As for F vs C...at work in LUV jets, we get really good at the conversion...since our colonist pax still like to hear it in F. So much for converting to metric by 1975 (what they said when I was in High School). But my OAT reads F too...otherwise when would my lovely bride know when to complain about it being too cold or too hot. We all have our crosses to bear, eh! :p

Oh, and Greg...you did that in one leg? My bladder is screaming just thinking about that! :p

Cheers,
Bob

Sorry I had the wrong transducer to help you out at Reno, Bob - glad you got it all fixed up! We were all bummed to see you taxi back from the lineup but it was the right call.
 
Sorry I had the wrong transducer to help you out at Reno, Bob - glad you got it all fixed up! We were all bummed to see you taxi back from the lineup but it was the right call.

Sure do appreciate the offer though! The VAF/Vans/RV family is awesome! Hope to represent in 4 full races next hear! :D

Cheers,
Bob
 
We also flew home from Carson City NV to Ogden UT on Monday. Beautiful day with light and variable winds at 9500. The flight took 2.8 hrs.
Compare that to the flight over on Saturday to Carson with 30-35 kt headwinds most of the way resulting in a 3.3 hr flight.
 
So much for converting to metric by 1975 (what they said when I was in High School).
Cheers,
Bob

That was a pain and a fiasco. I remember they even re-did all the highway speed limit signs in both measures. Cars were a major pain with half the bolts SAE and the other half metric. Still kinda of sad that America was the only real society that didn't have the fortitude to complete the transition.

Larry
 
I like to check my OAT reading and compare it to ASOS during taxi. ASOS reports in Celcius. Our home thermostat is set to Celcius. the 3D printer temps are also Celcius. Alexia reports temps in Celcius. everything Celcius so no confusion. I don't even know what Fahrenheit is anymore. the next thing is to convert oil temps, CHTs and EGT to Celcius and then the conversion will be complete.
 
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If only Dynon could solve the screen reflection problem like MGL has.......
 
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I'm still partial to Fahrenheit; 0F really cold and 100F really hot vs 0C sort of cold and 40C really hot.
 
why the heck are you reading OAT temperature in Fahrenheit? it's been Celcius for a looooong time now. looks like a good trip.

They are just numbers. Temp in Fahrenheit vs Celsius is pretty minor thing. Airspeed is not metric nor any attempt being made to go to Kilometers per hour. Knots is not metric or English units. When we go to km/hr I will get a big speed boost from cruising at 160 to cruising at 300. They are just numbers. Same with altitude. Is there anyone using meters for altitude? Temp is the least of our issues in the flying world in converting to SI.
 
why do the temperature conversion, just listen to the ASOS and look at your OAT reading to verify your system is working correctly. keep it simple.
 
Sure do appreciate the offer though! The VAF/Vans/RV family is awesome! Hope to represent in 4 full races next hear! :D

Cheers,
Bob

Bob. I enjoyed watching Reno. My biggest takeaway from the event was how well the attention to safety was and the professional manner in which it was accomplished. The three items I found the most lasting were: 3.) Sticking with the wind limits on Saturday. 2.) The guy who had to return to the pits because of a helmet headset issue, and 3.) When you returned to the pits due to low fuel pressure indication. That level of commitment to doing things right despite the untold hours of preparation and expense was inspiring. Don't get me wrong. It sucked. But I admire your commitment to do things right. I can't remeber a whole lot more about the Reno coverage but I won't forget that. (Sorry Skylor 😉 - just kidding).
 
Numbers are numbers, but just don't change in midstream.

They are just numbers. Temp in Fahrenheit vs Celsius is pretty minor thing. Airspeed is not metric nor any attempt being made to go to Kilometers per hour. Knots is not metric or English units. When we go to km/hr I will get a big speed boost from cruising at 160 to cruising at 300. They are just numbers. Same with altitude. Is there anyone using meters for altitude? Temp is the least of our issues in the flying world in converting to SI.

Yeas -but- - I have 70 yrs of knowing numbers in F that are relevant. I can not just go change all of the memory bank into C at one time. When it works, my brain does not work like that.

I bet if I give you dimensions for a woman in stones and furlongs it won't capture your imagination nearly so quickly. Get that picture?
 
This is from a text I received the other day:
Picture the Eagle on the lunar surface. The caption reads, "There are two kinds of countries; those who use the metric system and those who have landed on the moon."
 
Yeas -but- - I have 70 yrs of knowing numbers in F that are relevant. I can not just go change all of the memory bank into C at one time. When it works, my brain does not work like that.

I bet if I give you dimensions for a woman in stones and furlongs it won't capture your imagination nearly so quickly. Get that picture?

Bingo. You guys don't have a snowballs chance in Hades of converting ME to metric - you might have a chance with my son, but it ain't gonna happen for me until they close the lid on my box.
 
Yeas -but- - I have 70 yrs of knowing numbers in F that are relevant. I can not just go change all of the memory bank into C at one time. When it works, my brain does not work like that.

I bet if I give you dimensions for a woman in stones and furlongs it won't capture your imagination nearly so quickly. Get that picture?

it's really not that hard. 6 numbers.

-10C = to cold for comfortable skiing (for me)
0C = freezing
15C = standard day weather
23C = nice weather
40C = really hot weather
100C = boiling

you will hear Celcius only broadcast from every ASOS/AWOS/ATIS in the USA.
 
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This is from a text I received the other day:
Picture the Eagle on the lunar surface. The caption reads, "There are two kinds of countries; those who use the metric system and those who have landed on the moon."

There are also the same two kinds of countries; those that lost the Mars Climate Orbiter due to unit of measure confusion and those that use only metric. :D
 
There are also the same two kinds of countries; those that lost the Mars Climate Orbiter due to unit of measure confusion and those that use only metric. :D

And then there is the Air Canada 767 crew that confused pounds of fuel with kilograms of fuel and had to dead stick onto a drag strip in Gimli Manitoba using flaps and a forward slip. A very impressive performance by the pilot. He must have been a taildragger pilot.
 
Tailwinds are pilots delights.... In GA my best tailwind (rusty memory) was also in the 35kt to 40kts range at similar altitudes. In a jet it was about 150 kts. Fun to see the high ground speeds.
 
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