Thorp Air Command - T18.net

Was up flying yesterday evening and got a pic of the ground speed. It's in mph, but is the highest I have seen in my bird. Could have got to about 270 if I would have pushed the speed up a little higher in the descent. Was indicating 185 mph at 10,500 feet at time of pic. Where are these tailwinds when I'm going somewhere?!!!

Bernie Fried
N18XS

So this is your thorp with the new 0-320 power.... Nice numbers

Bernie : Did you end up getting the engine from Aero Sport Power ?

RB

Bernie, I know you had an O-290, when you changed the engine did you use the old mount? I'm just thinking ahead .

Lance

Yes, I got the engine from Aerosport Power. It is a Superior 320 with crankshaft and rods swapped out, so it is a 340. The plane is probably 10 to 15 mph faster in cruise than with the 290. I am still breaking it in, so don't have real good speed numbers or fuel burn down yet.

Definitely a noticeable increase in acceleration and climb, and some increase in speed. Probably won't affect speed, but I don't have the spinner dome on yet.

I used the straight mount just like the 290 used (not dynafocal). The older narrow deck 320's are often straight mount (conical) cases. I think some of the newer wide deck Lycoming engines are also conical (maybe the 320b2b if I remember correctly), but not nearly as common as dynafocal. You can get new ECI and Superior engines with either mount style.

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Bernie Fried
N18XS

Was up again with a little more tailwind. Was getting 265 to 270 mph in cruise/level flight and got to 314 mph in descent. The new goal is 350!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVzAKaeYo3Y

That's pretty cool Bernie!

One time coming home from Butte, Montana with my daughter in the right seat, we saw around 255 mph heading East towards Bozeman. I was throttled back too, because it got a little turbulent, & she was starting to feel sick. We did get home to Denver in record time that day though!

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John Evens
Arvada, Colorado
T-18 N71JE (sold)
Kitfox 7 SS N27JE

Bernie, you sure your not in an A320?

So what do you think your normal cruise TAS is? Do you have a constant speed? If not what RPM are you running at cruise?

My bird does about 175 knots TAS at a bit over 2600 RPM 10,500' fixed pitch IO320 modified engine.