Great vid, working on my IFR in my RV10 with Garmin panel.

Great video. The G3X is such a powerful system. Really improves SA. I think the most compelling data point was at the end of the video where you show the approach into KPAE. In IMC, VV on the approach end of the runway with synthetic vision, and then you break out. Boom! Right where you need to be.

Their is a real need for real flying while using the G3X system! I would love some sort of checklist line item that goes into detail on using the G3X with the GFC500 on different approaches. Your multi screen set up in the videos is great!! Thanks N494R

First!

This is a great cheat code in IFR training.

Excitedly waiting for part II. 🙂

Great video. Excited to start using the velocity vector. And I like the comparison between high and off terrain alerts. How do the low alerts compare as well?

brilliant. I keep my eye on it (on my dynon) occasionally but haven't really flown using it as a primary instrument. your examples of slow flight and of level flight during steep turns were light bulb moments.

Nice....and so useful. I knew the function, but I still learned something. Thanks for sharing.

Cool video. Thanks

Maybe show in the next video how to use it to aim for the runway threshold?

Have to say. You left out my favorite use of the Velocity Vector... Park it on the numbers of the runway within synthetic vision and nail your crosswind correction and decent rate for an approach to landing.

FIRST! Morning, Ace!

This was fantastic! Thanks for putting this together.

I’m not IFR rated, but will probably start it the near future. This is a great visualization of the process, so thanks for posting the video. Liked it!

hoping you'll see this, I'd love to tag along if you are headed to Alvord this year. I'm comfortable with places like Cpalis Beach (S16) and Tieton (4S6). I'm just nervous about going and not knowing if I'm going to get stuck. I don't even have to bother you or fly with you, just land when you're there and can tell me it's okay.

Great to show how hard it is to break the bead without a bead breaker. More talc is always good!

Maybe I missed it but do you run a constant speed prop? My RV-7A got similar glide results but when I pulled the prop control the glide ratio went way up! I too did it with engine off. Nice work

I took a Cessna 172B over on my airplane channel - and heavily modified the wings: STOL cuff, VGs, and wing extensions of 3 extra feet in length. I know my glide ratio changed, and I've been testing it but I haven't yet got a solid number. So I've kept a very conservative stock 172 ratio in Foreflight until I can finish testing.

I haven't stopped the prop yet, but I have a SLSA with an absurdly conservative number in the POH. I did a series of tests, using autopilot to reduce the human factor, and I also tested reflex (negative) flap settings and zero. It's hard to test with winds though! I guess I'll have to go up when there's either a perfect crosswind in my test valley or find a time when the wind is near zero. I feel like I'm missing an obvious correction for wind speed so my numbers are still valid, I have the wind data since I'm pulling logs out of my panel anyhow.

Thank you for this! Awesome job. Companies should be forced to provide "correct glide ratios", It may matter to the extent of life or death! Guys and Gals... this deserves a thumbs up!

Great video. Looking forward to the follow up with a stopped propeller.

👍Nice post. I tested this in my RV-7A also. There are two scenarios for an engine failure: Fuel starvation=wind-milling prop... and engine seizure=prop stopped. Wind-milling produces more drag than stopped. I tested mine both ways and found slightly better glide performance with the prop stopped. To get my Hartzell constant speed two bladed prop to stop (after engine shutdown), the airspeed had to be decreased to just above stall speed. Eventually, it flops to a stop. Your test results are reasonable for a side-by-side nose-dragger. I'm sure a taildragger tandem seat RV would have way LESS aerodynamic drag than mine... and better glide performance. Another useful number to determine is Minimum Sink speed....assuming you've glided to overhead a landing field and have lots of altitude remaining to work your problem. Well... A lot of this is splitting hairs with the glide performance numbers. HOW you fly your airplane in the first minutes of a sudden engine failure is more crucial. Obviously, turning immediately toward the nearest airport or landing area is important. I always have NRST airport displayed on my RNAV unit even on local flights. Energy conservation: If you're cruising at 130 knots when the engine quits, the best technique is to pitch up, trading speed for altitude until reaching best glide speed (80 kts) & THEN TRIM to stay there. That will stretch your overall glide distance much better than staying at altitude and bleeding energy due to drag. Practicing "Power Off 180's" in the pattern is also great practice for energy management. That is the most failed item on a Commercial Pilot checkride. Another tool is mastering the "Forward Slip to Landing".... That takes practice. Thanks for a great post, Flying Aardvark... Waldo

Interesting video but you neglected a very important factor - the windmilling propeller. There are two basic types of engine failures with two different glide ratios. Let's call the first, Type 1 - Engine isn't producing power but prop is windmilling. Type 2 - Engine seizes, prop stops. Type 2 has a significantly better glide ratio. You might consider a re-do where you pull the mixture then pull the nose up enough to stop the prop. If you do, I think you'll be amazed at the difference. I've tried it in a Citabria, huge difference, felt like I was in an early, low performance sailplane, gobs of time to glide to the ground. Thanks for the video but please address this important variable. John McClanahan, Atlanta

Glide "radio"? Really? At least proofread the title..

Thanks for the info. I’ve also noticed that some of the glide ratios posted elsewhere in the interwebs seemed a bit optimistic. As a 6A owner I appreciate your test. I’d prefer to err on the side of caution running 7.5:1 as you did. I wasn’t going to kill the engine in flight as you did to find out so thanks for that too!

When I did my, I got around 7.5. That was a lot less than I though it would be in a RV7a. Great vid Ace.

One more piece to the puzzle... The prop is still spinning during the engine-out descent. This is causing additional drag that would bring different numbers if you were able to get it to stop. I would think that at idle, the engine isn't producing "thrust" as much as it is assisting overcoming some of the drag that is created with the windmill pumping losses... Would be interesting to see how much it improves the results, with the prop stopped.

Great video, honestly made me reconsider my glide performance settings in FF. I’m sure this will help a lot of pilots, thx!!

I'm here :) thanks for posting. In the absolute soup there. Just flew into Copalis last weekend for the first time.

Great instructional aid.

Great vid! I also like keeping the speed up on approaches - I fly 95 knots in my 9A, way faster than I fly a VFR final. The airplane feels super stable, the autopilot likes it better, I’m only shooting real life low approaches to long runways, and it’s easy enough to slow down (especially with a CS prop). As my instrument instructor once pointed out, a lot of people flying approaches screw up by hitting the ground short of the runway, but almost nobody goes off the far end. :) I’ve also decided on a 1000 foot ceiling (forecasted to be stable or improving) personal minimum, so real life is strictly “gentleman’s IFR” for me.

In the RV-9A, I want to be stabilized at 80 knots about 10 seconds before minimums. (When there are airliners behind me, I've flown final as fast as 150 kt before slowing down at the last second.) 80 knots makes the go around easier, and I have the go around pitch attitude set low so that the plane doesn't lose speed changing attitude when I push TOGA. This way, there's plenty of time to get the flaps up and get some speed before selecting a climb mode. Then again, my personal IFR en route minimums are 1,000 foot ceiling so in case the engine goes poop, I've got options. (Got that idea from a Gulfstream test pilot who uses those minimums in his A36.) Of course, I always practice to published minimums. I've got G3X with the larger screens, so I put flight instruments in one half and the approach plate in the other, at least until established on final.

There are some things that are best when they're boring. IFR approaches definitely qualify, the less excitement the better. The autopilot is not cheating, providing you always know what it's doing, it frees you up to pay attention to everything else.

Great video! Thanks for doing the set up work to see out the window and all your screens on the approach. Maybe one day in my RV6

As one of the 6 or 7 who watch your videos, I always look forward to your next.

Great Video.

More important than the technology setting the bar for a good IFR platform... Size of tires.

I know this is old, I have never thought about this. Is Fix-a-flat an option? I have never had a flat always replace the tires every 3rd annual.

Such a great reminder of a fun trip with the Varks. Good idea to voice over.

3:24 that is a fantastic shot. also 5:35. those VAF formations put you somewhere around Qatar, Portugal, Philippines by "air force size". Almost Switzerland! heh. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_level_of_military_equipment

I didn't know the Prowler could go super sonic . I'm an A6 fan and some A6 content would be cool . First time here , I sub'd .

What a fun and very informative video. After reading "Flight of the intruder" and flying with some A6 guys, maximum respect!

I worked on the EA-6B Prowler when I was in the Navy. My first tour was in VAQ 130 and second in VAQ 129. This brought back some great memories thanks.

3:23 where are those cliffs? 5:10 I never understood bypass before. TIL. the EA6B might be fun and cool but wowwwww, it's ugly.

Nice comparison. Such different missions and availability. What an opportunity to be able to have done both. I love my RV7A. BTW, I don’t think the tail dragger version has any practical advantage over the A model.

While I appreciate all of the thoughtful points you've made here, I've decided to hold out and continue saving up for the Prowler.

The VAF link sent me. This was a lot of fun and you shared some excellent footage; thanks for that, and I subscribed. But I'm curious about something. You chose an RV-6A; nice plane. I built an RV-8 because I always wanted a P-51 but could never afford one. I can't help wondering, with all your amazing experience, if you have any tailwheel time and whether that was a factor in your selection of an -A model. Like I say, just curious. I'm also guessing based on your location and experiences that we have some common friends in the RV community.

Back in the early 70’s as the Ops YN in VA-196 (Whidbey) I got a couple hops right seat in KA-6D’s mainly at Fallon. Since I’ve built and fly my Sonex at my home field KOSH. Look me up if you get out here! Hoping an RV-8 is in my future!

Lol. Somehow this video just popped up on my feed. I was an ECMO in VMAQ-1 back from 1993-1996. Go Banshees.