midsouthps
Well-Known Member
I recently purchased a 1968 Cherokee Six. I'm a new pilot experienced in a 172 only. I've had about 4 hours in the six and I'm now high performance rated. I'm comfortable with the constant speed prop and I love this Six. It has very new paint and interior and flies beautifully. But, there is a lot I just don't know. I would really appreciate any and all advice an comments relative to flying this bird. Some things I need help with:
1. There is a small valve near the pilots left knee just below the panel. It looks like a fuel valve. I can't find any reference to it in the airframe log. Any idea what it is?
2. I flew a couple hundred miles in it the other day. first opportunity to cruise. I was getting horrible fuel consumption. Can someone give a really good detail on setting the prop, MP and leaning at altitude?
3. The plane has pretty standard instruments (a pretty much useless loran, adf and dme). I have the autoflight III. However, when I engage the AP and Heading bug, it seems to fly straight for a very brief period of time (less than a minute) and then just starts turning left. Why would it do that? How can I tell if it is linked to one of the VORs or the heading bug on my DG? Not that it matters because it doesn't seem to be following either.
4. Do you really need to drain all 4 tanks for 11 seconds through the main strainer? Can I just switch through the tanks as I taxi and runup to burn fuel from each line?
5. My VSI indicates about a 100 foot decent while sitting on the ground (or in level flight). I'm guessing that is just a problem with that particular instrument???
6. I've googled around and searched for every checklist I can find, read the flight manual and POH. I can't find any reference for any maneuver or use that requires 40 degrees of flaps. I'm sure they gave us that much for a reason. When do you use 40 degrees of flaps?
7. Speaking of flaps (and airspeed), I've found checklists that are all over the place with the settings for short and soft field TO and Lnds. What is the standard?
8. In my 172, I just attach my little tablet with garmin pilot to the yoke with velcro. On the Six, the yoke is not conducive to that. For those flying a six with no panel mount GPS, where do you put your tablet?
9. It looks like you can get to the back of the panel via the forward baggage compartment. Can you? I need to replace a fuse holder and it is a nightmare from underneath the panel.
I got plenty more questions. I'm having harnesses installed this week. I'm going to need a lot of advice about panel upgrades. Pretty standard avionics for the time period but has a recently installed pma8000bt. I'm guessing I need something like a gtn and an stec?????
1. There is a small valve near the pilots left knee just below the panel. It looks like a fuel valve. I can't find any reference to it in the airframe log. Any idea what it is?
2. I flew a couple hundred miles in it the other day. first opportunity to cruise. I was getting horrible fuel consumption. Can someone give a really good detail on setting the prop, MP and leaning at altitude?
3. The plane has pretty standard instruments (a pretty much useless loran, adf and dme). I have the autoflight III. However, when I engage the AP and Heading bug, it seems to fly straight for a very brief period of time (less than a minute) and then just starts turning left. Why would it do that? How can I tell if it is linked to one of the VORs or the heading bug on my DG? Not that it matters because it doesn't seem to be following either.
4. Do you really need to drain all 4 tanks for 11 seconds through the main strainer? Can I just switch through the tanks as I taxi and runup to burn fuel from each line?
5. My VSI indicates about a 100 foot decent while sitting on the ground (or in level flight). I'm guessing that is just a problem with that particular instrument???
6. I've googled around and searched for every checklist I can find, read the flight manual and POH. I can't find any reference for any maneuver or use that requires 40 degrees of flaps. I'm sure they gave us that much for a reason. When do you use 40 degrees of flaps?
7. Speaking of flaps (and airspeed), I've found checklists that are all over the place with the settings for short and soft field TO and Lnds. What is the standard?
8. In my 172, I just attach my little tablet with garmin pilot to the yoke with velcro. On the Six, the yoke is not conducive to that. For those flying a six with no panel mount GPS, where do you put your tablet?
9. It looks like you can get to the back of the panel via the forward baggage compartment. Can you? I need to replace a fuse holder and it is a nightmare from underneath the panel.
I got plenty more questions. I'm having harnesses installed this week. I'm going to need a lot of advice about panel upgrades. Pretty standard avionics for the time period but has a recently installed pma8000bt. I'm guessing I need something like a gtn and an stec?????
