Originally posted by Kev367th
Yup and we are supposed to have the later model.
Comparing a Tiffy with 25% fuel to a Pony with 25% is silly, prob closer to 50% Tiffy, 25% Pony. Getting the weights roughly equal is the problem.
To further confuse things, I seen figures that said its best alt was at 18.0k @405mph. Yet another claims 18.5k @ 412mph.
Doesnt matter with mass.
Mass matters for accelleration not max speed.
What will be different is how long it takes to reach top speed.
So if a tiffy at 25% fuel dives on something down low it will decelerate faster then a tiffy at 100% fuel. Simply because it has more momentum. So the heavier tiffy will be flying over max speed for a longer ammount of time.
If its in level flight then the 25% loaded tiffy will reach top speed faster then the 100% loaded one.
But that is all comparing accellerations not speed.
In fact Im not 100% sure there should be any speed difference at all. I need to read up on my physics here. Or HiTech could answer it.
Added mass forces the plane to create extra lift inorder to fly and this could create extra drag. But Im not sure if this is the case.
For example if you take two object same shape different mass (one 100 times heavier) and drop em from a plane they will reach the same speed. The heavier will reach the ground faster but that is just due to the faster accelleration time.
Tex