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Date: Tue, 29 Sep 1998 08:51:22 -0500
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Subject: Re: Sacred Art of Mixture Control (Re: Sudent using KATANA?)
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Gordon Dewis wrote:

> dave loewen wrote: 
> > why train to minimun standards?  wouldn't it make you a better 
> > pilot to take some extra training while you are learning? [referring
> > to training in Katana without manual mixture control]

> I don't feel that I have trained to "minimum standards".  The 
> aircraft I fly does not require manual mixture control.  I have 
> yet to see a convincing argument as to why my not learning about 
> manual mixture control is bad as has been put forward by some people. > When I find another aircraft that appeals to me, I'll get checked 
> out in it and that includes practical instruction on mixture control.

Gordon,
Good idea.  IMO this Katana-dissing is a big tempest in a teapot.  I
think many student pilots who fly planes with manual
mixture control, but learn to fly near sea level, never learn
proper use of mixture control anyway.  We take off with the mixture
full rich (not having leaned during taxi for fear we'd forget to
enrichen for takeoff).  We level off between 2000-3000 ft, fly
some maneuvers with the mixture full rich to allow full throttle
recovery, fly back and land never touching that orange knob.

The only time we leaned was on cross-countries--touching the
knob perhaps twice on 5 out of 50-odd flights.  Enough mixture
use to build wonderful solid habits?  Not for me.  I had to be 
sure I focused on written cruise and descent checklists as a 
new PPL, to develop good habits of mixture use.

And the mixture use I did learn wasn't very thorough--pull the
knob out until the engine runs rough, then enrichen two turns
was what I was told.  Few trainers I've met have CHT or EGT gauges;
the difference between leaning for best power, and leaning for max
economy wasn't discussed.  My CFI would take over and lean the 
engine out at run-up if the mag check was rough; only later did 
I learn what this was about, and how to avoid lead and carbon fouling 
of plugs from prolonged ground ops at rich mixture and low spark plug
temps and how to avoid this. 

My advice to students training in Katanas is "don't sweat the mixture
use".  Just read some good information about proper leaning, practice
it during checkout in a plane with manual mixture control, then make
and follow good cruise and descent checklists to build good habits.

I recommend a trip to Gregory Travis' great engine resource page
and a look at Lycoming Service Instruction 1094D, Leaning Procedures
as well as the plane-specific POH, as one source of good information.
    http://www.prime-mover.org/Aviation/Manuf.html

Snowbird

