Testing the new speed mods on the Piper Archer II. PA-28-181

[@kimskislalom]

Very Nice Airplane. Nice panel.

[@Pa27pilot]

@@kimskislalom Thank you I appreciate that

[@Шох-и3п]

Hello from central Asia! I love your lifestyle 👍

[@Pa27pilot]

@@Шох-и3п Hello and welcome to the channel. I’m glad you’re enjoying the videos.

[@milesj6064]

That is a beautiful paint job on that airplane and I love the instrument panel you have, very nice. You did a great job and nice to see the speed increase also, always nice to see your hard earned work paid off.

[@Pa27pilot]

@@milesj6064 Thank you 🙏🏻 It took about two years to get it all done but we are happy with the end result.

[@flyingconsultant]

I my POH the recommended configuration in cruise is 75% power which under normal weather conditions (15° C at sea level) would be 2550 RPM at 4500ft. At lower temperatures my density altitude would be even lower, so the cruise revs would be lower as well. I personally would not run the engine at 2690 at cruise at only 4500ft. The maximum charted for my aircraft is 2660 rpm at 9000ft.

[@Pa27pilot]

@@flyingconsultant I appreciate your comment and you should definitely fly your airplane in a way that makes you comfortable per the POH guidelines. This airplane is approved for maximum continuous power so testing it in this way doesn’t hurt it at all. When traveling we are typically between 7-9K where a normally aspirated airplane can’t make more than 70% power anyway. If you want some advice I would suggest you monitor your CHT & EGT temps and keep them in the proper zone rather than watching power percentages.

[@flyingconsultant]

@@Pa27pilot How do you get your plane approved for maximum continuous power? Was there a mod on the engine? I fly a bit over water, so I totally prefer reliability over performance. My POH says that RPMs at 70% power at 9000ft, should be 2595. At 75% power, the RPMs are 2660. That's according to O-360-A4M power setting table.

[@Pa27pilot]

@ I didn’t have to do anything to get it approved for that, it’s made that way. I don’t cross large bodies of water in it, I use my twin Piper Aztec when that is needed. I’m not telling you to run your airplane the way I do, you know your airplane’s capabilities. My Archers engine is barely out of the brake in period where I alternated between maximum power and 65% power every 30 minutes watching CHT & EGT temps closely for the first 40 hours

[@flyingconsultant]

What year is this? I have 1987 Archer II. I am normally doing around 115 - 120 kt. That would translate as around 134 - 139 kt at 8500, which is probably maximum where I like flying. It would be taking around 34L per hour at that altitude.

[@Pa27pilot]

@@flyingconsultant This is a 1982. You’re getting the same speeds as I am 👍. Do you have the same speed mods?

[@flyingconsultant]

@@Pa27pilot I do not have any speed mods, but as I posted in another thread, I do not run my engine that hard. If I did, I am pretty sure I would be getting similar speeds. I normally cruise at 2450rpm - 2550rpm, depending on altitude. I would never cruise at 2690rpm, unless I manage to get to 12000ft somehow. Definitely not at 4500ft. At that temperature the cruise RPMs should be around 2450 at that altitude.

[@Pa27pilot]

@ You should do a speed test and post the video many people don’t believe that my Archer with all the speed mods can achieve these speeds.

[@Pa27pilot]

@ I believe you are looking at power setting examples not your operating limits but I don’t know your airplane.

[@flyingconsultant]

@ I think the main issue is that people don’t bother differentiating between TAS and IAS. I never actually push it, just cruise. Nice panel though. I am upgrading my panel in February next year.

[@1dullgeek]

Wow! That's awesome performance at 4500. You're getting better performance in your 180hp archer than I get in my 235hp Cherokee 235. Pretty sure a big part of the difference is the semi-tapered wings. The version of my airplane with semi tapered wings gets about 7 additional knots at the same horsepower. I don't ever run at max performance. I'm always at 65% power lean of peak. So at 4500, I would expect to get about 125 knots at about 10.5 gph. If I bumped that up to 75% power, it'd be more like 133 knots at 13 gph. I would have liked to see what your performance was at 7500. I've noticed that my best TAS is at that altitude (131 knots at 10.5 gph). Seems to be the best balance between reduced engine performance due to lower air density, and reduced drag due to lower air density. In any case it was great to see what the impact is of the speed mods you added. Thanks for the video.

[@Pa27pilot]

@@1dullgeek Pipers are great! I agree the tapered wings make a difference and I also get the best speed between 7-8K. The nice advantage you have is the increased useful load in your 235. We have a Cherokee 180 with the Hershey bar wings and it also has all the speed mods, it tops out at 135 knots TAS.

[@1dullgeek]

@@Pa27pilot Yeah that useful load is nice. We're at 1373 lbs. I have taken 4 adults, 84 gals fuel and bags and had a few lbs to spare. It is very nice if you want to fly friends to vacation. Wow the speed mods really do help that 180, too. 🤔 Which ones did you go with Knots2U, Laminar Flow Systems, something else?

[@Pa27pilot]

@ Knots2U. They are in Burlington, WI just a 20 minute flight away from me. The best bang for the buck in my experience are the wheel pants including wheel pants fairings, wing root fairings, all the gap seals and the wing tips.

[@GeorgeKontogiannis-cu7on]

What airport are based at ?

[@Pa27pilot]

@ Lewis university

[@kimskislalom]

Do you have a solid state sure-fly mag.

[@Pa27pilot]

@@kimskislalom not sure fly. Electro air.

[@williambeatty7781]

I have a very hard time believing an Archer will get 137 knots. That's far better than any Archer I've ever flown or Arrow for that matter.

[@Pa27pilot]

I know its great! At 8000 feet it got up to 140 knots TAS.

[@egiardina]

How long you feel comfortable at the 2690 RPM? Any concerns with premature wear?

[@Pa27pilot]

@@egiardina Per the POH this engine is approved for maximum continuous power operations. However you’ll never get 100% power while in flight. I monitor the temps very closely and have no reservations about cruising max speed. The only time I don’t is when I’m conserving fuel.

[@egiardina]

@ Thank you for sharing. CHT under 400 and EGT under 1400 safe? Or do you go higher?

[@Pa27pilot]

@ Do not exceed temps for the CHTs is 500F so yes under 400F is good, I baby them and try to keep them around 350F. EGT’s I run 50-75 rich of peak which is typically around 1450

[@egiardina]

Awesome!

[@chriszeitler4613]

@@Pa27pilot what's your fuel burn running that RPM and mixture setting? That's an awesome speed you are getting!

[@alexanderburns2911]

What timestamps are the speed mods at? What are they?

[@Pa27pilot]

@@alexanderburns2911 I talk about them and show them at the start of the video. They are all from Knots2u.

[@Pa27pilot]

@@alexanderburns2911 I start showing the speed modifications at the 2:30 mark.

[@Lee-rp6kk]

I don't care what your true AirSpeed computes to from your electronic gizmos. The only speed check for real world flying is a four way course at 7000 wide open throttle and average your ground speeds. No Archer get anywhere near what you are seeing.

[@Pa27pilot]

@@Lee-rp6kk This video is for entertainment. I’m not trying to prove anything nor am I selling you anything. I hope you enjoyed it.

[@pureoriginz2412]

I do not like them traumahawks

[@Pa27pilot]

@@pureoriginz2412 Would you elaborate please?

[@flyingconsultant]

@@pureoriginz2412 it’s not a Tomahawk. It’s an Archer.