Mark wrote- >some of the stall speeds reported are clearly inaccurate >indicated speeds, rather than GPS-verified speeds.
Mark; please explain? I think you meant that many airspeed indicators have not been verified by GPS or other means and are therefore not accurately reading the airplane's airspeed. Otherwise, if I touch the mains down at 55 MPH indicated but there's a direct headwind of 20 MPH, the GPS will read a groundspeed of 35 MPH. Since the airplane is held aloft by the relative wind flowing over the wings, indicated is what I want to know. *Accurate* indicated, that is. Groundspeed will only be useful when there is zero wind. I think it's also safe to say that just because the ASI reads accurately in cruise is no assurance that it reads accurately all across its range. Pitot-static errors can influence the reading depending on the geometry of the system and other things, especially in slow flight, and instrument error can vary depending on where in the airspeed range it's reading. I've seen some light planes with ASIs that read up to 250 MPH, and I just don't believe them when the needle is down below 50 MPH (if it even reads that low). By the way, just curious- have you put the manometer to the ASI in Niner-One-Juliet-Foxtrot to see how well it reads yet? Oscar Zuniga Medford, OR Air Camper NX41CC A75 power
