At 04:30 PM 11/6/2008, you wrote: >I see my cruise speeds start to drop off above 9000' and >see a significant impact to cruise at altitudes above 11,000'. >Jeff Scott ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Jeff, Are you speaking of indicated airspeed here? I would think that the much thinner air at those altitudes would give a much lower indicated airspeed reading than at the lower elevations. I'm guessing that your true airspeed would go up with altitude. Am I missing something here? I have very short wings on my heavy bird ( 20' 4" as I recall ) and suffer in the climb rate. I get maybe 800 to 900 fpm on the best of days with a lighter fuel load. I've considered adding to the tips but hate to take it down to modify and re-paint. I seldom fly above 3500 feet so it's not a big issue with me. On longer trips I just do a cruise climb of 500 fpm at 120 mph indicated so it doesn't really take me long to get to 7500 or so. Larry Flesner
