la7

[Ghosth]

Lusche nailed it as ussual. Full RPM with idle throttle that prop actually acts as a big brake. Cut the rpm's and your removing a lot of airborne drag.

Line up far enough out to manage your speed. If your in a hurry, either lots of cross control (falling leaf from 8k is fun)
Or buzz the runway, at the far end of the runway kill your throttle, take the nose straight up. As its going up dump gear, flaps, horse the nose back around hard, line it up on the runway and pancake it in. Its quick, hard to shoot at if your being chased, and effective.

[Masherbrum]

Dan, I laughed just as hard as when the first time you posted that Gem.   

[Ack-Ack]

Never realized that Mensa's lazy eye would make it difficult for him to land, my heart goes out to him.


ack-ack

[Rich46yo]

The difference is, that by further reducing rpm you simply reduce drag. It's doesen't prevent a succesful landing but it doesn't help either. It's just not helping you slowing down but on the contrary: it reduces drag and thus makes slowing down more difficult.

That's also the reason why to reduce rpm while gliding home with a non running engine. Minomum RPM = minimum drag from prop = longer gliding time (and distance)

I see what your saying now. At first I thought you were saying lowering RPM increases drag, which is what your trying to do anyways. I still find myself slowing down faster after I reduce RPMs because the engine is still running and its turning the prop. I would think the prop turning slower would increase drag by reducing thrust to weight. I often find myself trying to land an LA-7 when heavily outnumbered and have to slow it by reducing RPMs and spinning around my ack. One good thing about the plane is once youv slowed it it doesn't need much runway to stop. Not quite like a Spit but still not bad.

Anyhoo interesting about the engine out thing. Next time I'm trying to glide to base in a wirbeled IL-2, without power, I'll try reducing RPM too. Thanks for the tip.

[morfiend]

Rich, when you reduce prop rpm you change the pitch of the prop,so instead of having the flat part of the blade facing forward,ie more drag,you angle the blade so the edge is facing forward. this make more work for the engine and thus reduces the rpm of prop.

 So to land you want low MP{manifold pressure} and high rpm{most drag}

 try this sometime,climb to say 10k go full rpm and MP then dive,note speed at say 2k
now do same only reduce just rpm and note speed... the difference is caused by drag.

 hope this helps.

[Tilt]

Czech pilots reported that the La5 (and probably therefore also the La7 which had 80 mm longer gear) exhibited a nasty bounce when landing. When trying to correct the bounce pilots tended to wreck the prop and so were taught to ignore it (ie let the ac bounce). These same ex RAF Czech pilots likened it to the bounce incurred on a Spitfire when landing.

In AH it is actually easier to land Lavochkins flaps up! with no damage generally incurred in doing so.

[Getback]

Gawd Corkyjr, I laughed so hard I cried  Man I am just happy you are there for Mensa. 

[Getback]

How can one of the funniest threads I have seen in years get to the 2nd page.

[Masherbrum]

As for the La7.    I have never dumped flaps in it.   I've only used the "chop throttle" method.   At the right speeds you can turn with almost anything in the game and better than the majority.   

[Lye-El]

Anyhoo interesting about the engine out thing. Next time I'm trying to glide to base in a wirbeled IL-2, without power, I'll try reducing RPM too. Thanks for the tip.

Another thing to try is get some alt, kill the engine and hit Alt x. After your glide rate is established reduce your RPms. You will see the nose come up higher on the horizon. This shows that you have reduced the drag induced by the prop and lengthening your glide.