Page 37 - JA21MMOPAv2

usually plenty of power for takeoff, so I don’t care to snuggle the TQ indication up to the red line. It is simply not
worth the risk of an over-torque on takeoff (especially in a -21 JetPROP). If I advance the power lever so that the TQ is within 150 pounds of the red line limit, I then stop advancing the power lever and apply friction. That’s plenty of power for a P46T takeoff.
Now, the airplane (whether piston or turbine) should be rolling down
the centerline of the runway, with the rudder pedals steering the airplane. The ailerons should be deflected into the wind at a level that you’d expect
to have them at liftoff. I don’t suggest holding full aileron into the wind as this is probably excessive and will have to be greatly reduced as the airplane lifts off the runway. As speed increases the rudder will become more and more effective and it will be easier to maintain directional control.
Ready to Rotate
When should you rotate? The answer is to follow the directions in your POH. Each PA46 has a different airspeed for rotation, but suffice it to say that “a little extra speed doesn’t hurt.” So, if your POH recommends 85 KIAS and you rotate at 90 KIAS, that will be just fine.
Here’s a mantra that you should always follow: “the nose tire never leaves the runway until the airspeed
is above 70 KIAS.” This is not written in all the POHs but it is really, really good advice. Below 70 KIAS there might not be enough rudder authority to arrest the left yaw created by the propeller. Simply put, there is no “soft field takeoff technique” written in your POH. It’s not there...go look. Piper didn’t even consider giving you this option. You should never “ride a wheelie” down the runway with the yoke held into your gut. This is a fine technique for a Cessna 172 in primary training, but it is a disastrous idea in
a PA46. If you do this, there is a high probability that you’ll find your bent airplane on the left side of the runway with you wondering if (and quickly confirming once you total up the
damage) that was the most expensive theme park ride ever. The nose wheel in any PA46 needs to remain on the ground until the airplane is faster than 70 KIAS to keep directional control. Remember...no soft field takeoff techniques in any of the PA46s, and the nose wheel stays on the ground until past 70 KIAS.
There is a pilot flaw that I see more and more lately: yanking the airplane off the ground for takeoff. I don’t like to see this because it can put the airplane into a stalled condition accidentally. When the aircraft reaches rotate speed, this doesn’t mean the pilot should yank back on the yoke, it means that the pilot should increase the back pressure to fly the nose wheel off the ground. With the nose wheel off the ground, the airplane will naturally fly when the wing is ready. It is a natural progression, and
it is fun to see a pilot master the feel required to do it repetitively and with excellence. If the airplane is yanked off the runway habitually, all will probably be well until the airplane is loaded
with the CG in the aft portion of the allowable envelope.
An aft CG that is out of limits is one of the worst conditions for flight, but it is not because the airplane can’t recover from a stall (I hear this a lot on check rides), it is dangerous because it lessens stick force and the airplane can be stalled far more easily. Stick force is exactly that: It is the force required to move the yoke to cause an increase in pitch attitude. It hearkens back to the days when airplanes had sticks instead of yokes, but it is still an excellent term appropriate to the modern airplane. Test pilots will measure the stick force during f light testing of an airplane.
So, when an airplane is loaded with a forward CG (as it is usually in training), a greater amount of stick force is required to raise the nose as compared to an aft CG. An aft CG always creates less stick force. So, if the pilot were to roll down the runway and “yank the yoke aft,” then the lesser stick force could translate into the pilot pulling aft more than was intended and stall the airplane. It is so easy to do, especially if
a pilot is not accustomed to flying with a CG that is within the envelope but
at the aft portion of the envelope. So, make sure you pull the yoke back when rotating, but only to gain the effect of raising the nose wheel off the ground and then to “fly the wing” as the airplane leaves the runway. Rotation on takeoff should be a smooth affair, not a jerking movement.
Climb Out, Clean Up
Now, the airplane is off the ground and starting to both climb and gain airspeed. What is next? The answer is to translate from a potential slip
(if there was a crosswind) and fly coordinated f light with the nose crabbed into the wind. I establish the crab soon after rotation, certainly within 50 feet off the runway.
I will also clean up the airplane soon after takeoff. Before I’ve climbed up
to 100 AGL, I’ve usually brought the gear and flaps up (always leading with the gear). I hear some people say it’s best to bring the gear up quickly but then to wait a little longer to bring the flaps up, once you’re over 100 or even 110 knots. I’m comfortable with this idea, but I also have no problem letting the hydraulic motor pull the gear up while the f lap motor retracts the f laps simultaneously. This is different with an early Malibu with hydraulic flaps, but that’s the lone exception to this
line of thinking. It is worth noting that with the piston PA46s, there will be
a little bit of a “sink” when you bring the flaps up (especially if you didn’t quite milk the full 42 inches (or 35 inches for Malibus) of power during the takeoff roll. If there is an obstacle you’re worried about after takeoff, I might wait until I’m totally clear to bring the f laps up.
As the airplane accelerates, I adjust the pitch attitude to 7.5 degrees nose up for all PA46 variants, piston, and turbine alike. 7.5 degrees is a magical nose-up attitude, especially for the turbine airplanes. 7.5 degrees will translate into a nice pitch attitude that will allow the airplane to climb at Vy. I usually climb at Vy until about 1,000
MMOPA MAGAZINE JULY / AUGUST 2021 37