Flying the Baron

    I’m trying to get used to flying the B58. I have found some information about suggested power settings that goes like this:

    Climbing - 2.5 rpm / manifold pres. 25 inches

    Cruise - 2.3 rpm / manifold pres. 19-23 inches

    But I’m having trouble slowing down the plane for landing before the approach. Again in a video, I saw an instructor say “manifold pres. should be about 16 inches; mixture and props should be full” toward the landing. But if I do those things; even if I extend flaps and lower the gear, the plane goes a little too fast for landing(90 knots I presume). Can someone describe how to arrange power controls to make the plane slow down?

    Twin engines never approach slow. Blue line in the Baron is around 100 kts. Try to maintain that speed until short final, then start retarding the power gently, aiming to cross runway threshold around 90 kts, slow the speed to touch down around red line (Vmca). That´s how a real twin engine lands.

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    You can approach less than blue line, POH says that, but think there is no need to be less than blue line in case of an engine failure if you are more than 3 nm away.

    Approach at 90 kts is ok if you like.

    Greetings

    Mario

    Hi Mario, thanks for the information. I wasn't sure about the 90 knots. The video you linked doesn't have subtitles so I didn't understand everything there. If I remember correctly my plane proceeds at about 120 knots during descend and approach. This is with the flaps and gears open. That's where my real issue is. I guess I might be doing something wrong or maybe I should cut the throttle to less than 16 manifold pres. to obtain 100 knots. I will try this next time I play.

    Airspeed is controlled by pitch attitude, so maybe you should be pulling back on the yoke earlier in the descent to slow down. Initially, at 120kts or so, this will cause a little zoom upwards, but just hold the pitch back with steady pressure until the speed drops down to what you want. Then relax the yoke forwards a little to maintain that speed (eg 100kts). If the flap setting is correct for that speed, and with low power, you should then enter a steady descent at that good speed.

    It may be that you're not doing this process early enough.