2-Bit Speed
Pattern Altitude
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- Nov 9, 2021
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2-Bit Speed
Seeing the thread asking about a 10:1 Compression Ratio reminded of a technique within engine design to compensate for lost power as DA increases. The engines were built with CRs such that detonation was guaranteed on the fuel of the day at Sea Level. The advantage was that at a given altitude (I think it was 6,000 feet?), the engine would still be producing its full rated HP. This was during The War to End All Wars. They avoided detonation in a couple of different ways (at least I only remember two). The simple way (mechanically) was to instruct the pilot not to use full throttle until the specific altitude and how much throttle was appropriate at different altitudes. The simple way (for the pilot) was to have a second throttle (or throttle lever, I'm not sure which) called an altitude throttle. This throttle lever would have incremental labels for higher altitudes until the desired altitude.
Knowing that many pilots live at high altitudes and take off from even higher DAs, this seems like a reasonable solution which would avoid the added complexity of a turbo. With FADEC, the pilot might not need to (manually) compensate at all.
My questions are
1: Why did this tech die out so completely?
2: What is the opinion of the PoA collective regarding this as a solution to higher DAs?
Knowing that many pilots live at high altitudes and take off from even higher DAs, this seems like a reasonable solution which would avoid the added complexity of a turbo. With FADEC, the pilot might not need to (manually) compensate at all.
My questions are
1: Why did this tech die out so completely?
2: What is the opinion of the PoA collective regarding this as a solution to higher DAs?