Douglas DC-6 Pilot's Handling Notes (R-2800-CA15 engines)

Takeoff

Climb

Cruise

Descent

Landing


SUMMARY.

This standard version of the DC-6 has four 1600hp Pratt & Whitney R-2800-CA15 Double Wasp engines which are carburetted and highly supercharged to give rated power up to 16200 feet. 2400hp is available for two minutes during take off from runways below 3300 feet using low supercharger gear, TOGA rpm and full throttle. Above 3300 feet take off using high gear, max safe high gear rpm, and full throttle. Water methanol injection will invoke automatically whenever MAP exceeds METO MAP. The constant speed propellers can be feathered and have reverse pitch. For maximum realism enable automixture before flight via the realism screen.

WARNING - MAX safe RPM in HIGH supercharger gear = 2500

With these engines maximum fuel load is 4722 US gallons for inter continental operation but normally only 3322 USG for US domestic operation. Choose and rename the aircraft file of your choice to aircraft.cfg before flight.

NOTE: This file is to be used only if the plane's aircraft.cfg file has been altered to activate working Supercharger Switches, and the panel includes them.


HANDLING THE AIRCRAFT

Take Off (with water/meth injection):

APPLY BRAKES
MIXTURE - MANUAL FULL RICH
CARB HEAT - COLD
COWL FLAPS - MID
TRIM 20% full range NOSE UP
FLAP - STAGE 2
AIRFIELD ALT BELOW 3300 ft use LOW Supercharger & FULL FINE PROPS
AIRFIELD ALT ABOVE 3300 ft use HIGH Supercharger & set 2500 RPM at 47" MAP
Slowly apply FULL THROTTLE
Invoke water/meth injection giving 56.5 inches MAP
For dry take off restrict MAP to 52 inches
ROTATE at 110 KIAS (@ 95000lbs)
Establish positive rate of climb

GEAR UP
ACCELERATE > 130 KIAS @ <= 500 ft/min
CLIMB 300 feet AGL
FLAP - STAGE 1
ACCELERATE 140 KIAS @ <= 500 ft/min
FLAP - UP
Establish 500 VSI
CALL for METO Power

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First climb segment:

METO Power (1800hp)
COWL FLAPS - MID
45 inches MAP
2600 RPM
Establish 500 VSI
SUPERCHARGER to HIGH when THROTTLE => 95% FULL at target MAP and REDUCE RPM to 2500
Check CHT < 260C
Plan 620 USG per hour (930 lb/hr)
WHEN IAS > 160 KIAS
CALL for ATC climb power

 


Second Climb segment:

Climb Power: (1450hp)
COWL FLAPS - MID
39 inches MAP
2400 RPM
160 KIAS
SUPERCHARGER to HI when THROTTLE => 95% FULL at target MAP
Check CHT < 232C
Plan 500 USG per hour (750 lb/hr)
WHEN IAS > 160 KIAS @ 500 VSI
Call for Economy climb


Third Climb segment:

Economy climb (1350hp)
COWL FLAPS - MID
37 inches MAP
2400 RPM
160 KIAS
SUPERCHARGER to HI when THROTTLE => 95% FULL at target MAP
Check CHT < 232C
Plan 450 USG per hour (675 lb/hr)


Climb ABOVE FL180:

COWL FLAPS - MID
FULL THROTTLE
SUPERCHARGER = HIGH
2400 RPM
160 KIAS
Check CHT < 232C
Plan 440 USG per hour (660 lb/hr)

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Max Cruise:

CALL for max cruise (1300hp x 4)
COWL FLAPS - CLOSED
36 inches MAP
2200 RPM
Check CHT < 232C
Plan 435 USG per hour (652.5 lb/hr)


Fast Cruise (FL195 and below):

CALL for high speed cruise (1200hp x 4)
COWL FLAPS - CLOSED
33 inches MAP
2200 RPM
SUPERCHARGER to HI if THROTTLE => 95% FULL at target MAP
Check CHT < 232C
Plan 400 USG per hour (600 lb/hr)


Econ Cruise (FL155 and below):

CALL for economy cruise power (4 x 1100hp)
COWL FLAPS - CLOSED
SUPERCHARGER = LOW
31 inches MAP
2100 RPM
Check CHT < 232C
Plan 370 USG per hour (555 lb/hr)


Econ Cruise (FL160 to FL225):

CALL for economy cruise power (4 x 1050hp)
COWL FLAPS - CLOSED
SUPERCHARGER = HIGH
30 inches MAP
1800 RPM
Check CHT < 232C
Plan 350 USG per hour (525 lb/hr)


Long Range Cruise:

When < 30% fuel remains
Call for long range cruise (4 x 1000hp)
COWL FLAPS - CLOSED
30 inches MAP
1650 RPM
SUPERCHARGER to HI if THROTTLE => 95% FULL at target MAP
Check CHT < 232C
Plan 325 USG per hour (487.5)

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Descent:

ABOVE FL170 DO NOT EXCEED Mno = 220 KIAS
DO NOT EXCEED Vno = 250 KIAS
AUTOMIXTURE - ON
COWL FLAPS - CRACKED
SUPERCHARGER to LOW passing FL160
2000 RPM
REDUCE MAP in stages of 3 inches (per minute)
MINIMUM 20 INCHES MAP
See CARB HEAT below


Holding:

FLAP - UP
COWL FLAPS - CRACKED
2000 RPM
Slowly REDUCE MAP
To obtain 160 KIAS
Check CHT < 232C
Plan 230 USG per hour (345 lb/hr)

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Approach and Landing:

MIXTURE - RICH
COWL FLAPS - MID
2000 RPM
25 inches MAP
REDUCE < 170 KIAS
LANDING LIGHTS - DEPLOY + ON

REDUCE < 160 KIAS
FLAP - STAGE 1

REDUCE < 150 KIAS
FLAP - STAGE 2

REDUCE < 135 KIAS
FLAP - STAGE 3

MAINTAIN 130 KIAS

ON descending
GEAR DOWN
FLAP - STAGE 4

REDUCE < 120 KIAS
FLAP - STAGE 5

Cross AIRPORT BOUNDARY 98 KIAS (@ 73,000lbs)
FLARE and LAND
COWL FLAPS - FULL OPEN
AFTER NOSEWHEEL CONTACT
REVERSE PITCH
WHEEL BRAKES as required

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Baulked Landing:

CALL for EMERGENCY POWER
BELOW 3300 ft ALT use LOW Supercharger & FULL FINE PROPS
ABOVE 3300 ft ALT use HIGH Supercharger & 2500 RPM
FULL THROTTLE (invokes water/meth injection)
COWL FLAPS - CLOSED
ROTATE and CLIMB 115 KIAS

Clear of obstacle
GEAR - UP
ACCELERATE >140 KIAS
COWL FLAPS - MID
FLAPS - UP (by stages)
ACCELERATE 160 KIAS
LANDING LIGHTS - OFF and RETRACT


Carb Heat:

When < 30 inches MAP with an OAT below 5C (40F) use carb heat periodically to clear carburettor ice. Continuous use of carb heat is not recommended.


General:

AEROBATICS are PROHIBITED
NEVER EXCEED FL250
NEVER EXCEED Vno = 251 KIAS
Above FL170 NEVER EXCEED Mno = 220 KIAS
AP in use never exceed 217 KIAS
FLAP 1 or 2 never exceed 174 KIAS
GEAR DOWN never exceed 174 KIAS
FLAP 3+ never exceed 139 KIAS
CLEAN STALL 104 KIAS
Vmc 83 KIAS
STALL with FULL FLAP 79 KIAS


NOTE: This aircraft's real-world handling notes have been simplified for use with FS 2004