leaning for HIGH density alt. Takeoffs

RICHDALE

When the density altitude is above 5000ft, it is essential to lean normally aspired engines for maximum power on takeoff.
I am looking for a good method for takeoff leaning a PA28R-180

flyguydon

Go full RPM and full throttle. Lean until power drops off. Richen it about a 1/2" of throttle. You do not want to be at peak for full power take off. You want to be at least 100 ROP if not a little bit more.

jruhnke

I live at sea level, so have never much worried about leaning for takeoff, but I'm a new pilot and always trying to learn, so I'm following this thread with interest. I didn't understand the last comment, though: "Lean until power drops off. Richen it about a 1/2" of throttle."

Shouldn't throttle always be wide open for any takeoff? Why would you pull mixture to lean, then pull throttle to enrich? Am I missing something, or was that just a typo and should have said "mixture" instead of "throttle"?

flyguydon

Yes I did mean mixture. And going to stumble at full power for a second or two will do no damage. Doing it for an entire take off might bring on detonation and damage. You want to find out where the stumble is and at a point rich of that is going to be max power. If your plane has the newer 2 piece injectors... it probably will not stumble. It will just have the power smoothly go away. Treat that like the stumble and richen from there. You really want to be rich of max power for any run at full power/full speed of any length. Since we all do not seem to be taking about EGTs and all that... about 1/2" rich on the mixture knob of peak will be relatively safe for a take off.

I don't know why you all want to make this so complicated. Full rich at 5000 AGL will make less power and possibly make for a long run and even cause you to wet your pants (depending on runway length).

PropFan

Thanks for the link to the Mike Busch webinar. I look forward to listening to the other programs listed on the site.