Seneca Vs. Duchess

[Timebuilder]

It's a little nose heavy, especially if you aren't used to the feel of the airplane. For landing, I would (field length permitting) leave just a little throttle in for the flare, and then take out that small bit of remaining throttle right before touchdown.

When you pull the power all the way to idle, you get a lot of "flat plate drag" from the props, which are now being spun by the relative wind. Keeping that little bit of throttle helps you keep a good landing attitude into the flare, and then you are set up for a nice "greaser".

Oh, and stay above Vmc, okay? We can still see the spot in the neighbor's backyard near RDG where a guy nosed-in a Navajo a couple of years ago. Inverted.

 

[mckpickle]

The nav lights are GOOD advice. My school had both a seneca and dutchess. I liked the duchess best for training because of the unfeathering accumulators. The seneca doesn't have them and led to more than one single engine landings. The seneca was a heavy feeling airplane though. Sloppy at slow speeds yes but very stable at cruise and in turbulence. One other thing, If I had to choose between a duchess and seneca in ice (well i'd really take neither) I'd have to go with the seneca. Granted its not a good position to be in but that thing can hold a load of ice.

On the landing for the seneca, try trimming it so that you ned to hold forward pressure on final, that way in the flare its not as nose heavy. If you dont it can sometimes take two hands to flare it out. Also the controll collum will pull out and then slightly UP. It can be very nose heavy without baggage or people in the back.

Good luck and have fun. Write back with any more questions.

 

[414Flyer]

On the landing for the seneca, try trimming it so that you ned to hold forward pressure on final, that way in the flare its not as nose heavy. If you dont it can sometimes take two hands to flare it out. Also the controll collum will pull out and then slightly UP. It can be very nose heavy without baggage or people in the back.

Good luck and have fun. Write back with any more questions.

Yeah the Seneca II that I flew, with one person up front, full fuel, and nothing in the back, would be out of limits forward with CG.

 

[TwinTails]

414flyer,

Quit talking trash you've never even seen a seneca let alone been the pilot of one.

 

[414Flyer]

ummmmm yeahhhhhhhhh sure

 

[StrykerFL]

Critical Engine

A critical engine is the engine that takes you to the scene of the accident.

 

[skyking1976]

If its a seneca 1, I wouldn't land with more than 1 notch of flaps with no one in the back. Very easy to hit the nose gear 1st. I flew a seneca 1 with aftermarket Ray-Jay turbochargers. A marked improvemant over the normally aspirated model (especially out in Denver, where I flew it).

 

[Timebuilder]

Skyking-

I just retrim a little after adding the full flaps. We had two examples of the Seneca 1, and I never hit a nosewheel. Never had a CG problem either.

Your results may not be typical, void where prohibited by law, slippery when wet, this coffee is hot.

 

[Wowjack]

ERAU Duchess

Does anyone know if Embry-Riddle is selling their line of Duchess's. I know they've replaced them with the Seminole.

 

[skyking1976]

Timebuilder...

I had tried that in the past but I found that I got softer landings with only 1 notch. If it ain't broke...

Thanx anyway...

Cheers,
SKyking