Piper Aerostar
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 Aerostar Super 700 | |
 The cockpit of an Aerostar 700 | |
| Type | Civil utility aircraft, Light aircraft |
| Configuration | Low wing aircraft, Retractable gear aircraft, Tricycle landing gear aircraft |
| Propulsion | Piston aircraft, Twin-engine aircraft |
| Manufacturer | Piper |
| Author(s) | Syd Adams |
| FDM | YASim |
| --aircraft= | aerostar700 |
| Status | Early production |
| FDM |
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| Cockpit |
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| Model |
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| Development | |
| Website |
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| Repository |
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| Download |
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| License | GPLv2+ |
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The Piper Aerostar or Ted Smith Aerostar is an American twin-engined propeller-driven executive or light transport aircraft, designed by Ted R. Smith. It was originally built by Ted Smith Aircraft Company, which after 1987 became part of the Piper Aircraft Corporation.
Variants
Currently only one variant is modeled in FlightGear:
- 700 Superstar: prototype of stretched fuselage variant with two IO-540M engines
Aircraft help
This mini-howto is based on my personal experience flying this beautiful plane (sadly, only in FlightGear, never in real life...).
Please feel free to add content or correct whatever you think is wrong.
Start up
- Turn on the battery switch and both alternators. The switches are the first 3 from the left of the panel.
- Start the engines turning the engine switches to the right (press ctrl-c to see the hotspots), and keep them pressed until the engine start.
- If starting with a button on the joystick, switch to "Both" mags on the starter switches first.
Take off
Because of the small wing area of the Aerostar, it's not recommended to take off without flaps. The airplane will seem to roll forever!
- Flaps: 20° (2nd notch) or 30° (3rd notch), depending on field length.
- Throttle: Full
- Propeller: High RPM.
- Mixture: Rich
- Rotate: 80-100 kts depending on flaps settings.
Let the aircraft accelerate past 140 kts before retracting flaps.
Climb
- Flaps: up
- Throttle: 32~35 ingh
- Propeller: 2500~2600 rpm
- Mixture: reduce until fuel flow is around 32gph
- Climb Rate: 1500~1700 fpm @160~180 kts
With full throttle and propeller, a climb rate of 2000+ fpm can be attained.
Cruise
Level the plane at desired altitude and trim the elevator. You should get to 217+ kts in no time ;-)
Approach
Due to the small wing area and the high speed of this airplane, early speed reduction is a must.
Slowly, reduce throttle to (almost)idle and pitch up to reduce speed without loosing too much altitude. Around 190 kts, start applying flaps (up to the 3rd notch).
Try to keep a descent rate of 1500~2000 fps and speed around 150 kts.
Landing
A circuit-landing on a short strip:
- 140 kts at downwind, leveled, flaps at 30° (3rd notch), mixture rich and propeller at full RPM.
- Apply full flaps, and reach base with 125 kts before turn.
- Reduce power and pitch up to reach final at 110 kts.
- Touch down at 90~100 kts.
On a longer strip, you could do a similar procedure without applying full flaps (ie: at 30°), reaching final arround 130 kts, and touch down at 120kts.
Compatibility
Tested with FG 1.9.1. Works but cannot disconnect autopilot from ailerons once activated. Must re-test and see Openflight 21:11, 17 May 2012 (EDT)
External Links
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