What mph are different planes getting in mph rather than gph for different aircraft? This is obviously for no wind conditions.

For example, in the O-540 Bearhawk (4-place) milage ranges from 11 mpg at 155 mph to 15mph at 100mph on average. Normally I fly at 14 mpg at 125 mph. Burning non-ethanol premium auto fuel at 9gph (125mph) costs $38.25 per hour or $0.31 per mile.

The Rotaxes should lead the pack here but I'm curious and with the discussion on 2 vs 4 place planes this may give some interesting comparisons.

Thanks,
Mike

M7 Maule O-540 140 MPH 12.8 GPH Premium Mogas $3.80 a gallon is 35 cents a mile

2008 Chev Dura Max diesel 12 MPG Diesel $3.90 a gallon 33 cents a mile

Truck carries more. But when you get to 60 MPH and pull back on the wheel nothing happens.

OregonMaule wrote:M7 Maule O-540 140 MPH 12.8 GPH Premium Mogas $3.80 a gallon is 35 cents a mile

2008 Chev Dura Max diesel 12 MPG Diesel $3.90 a gallon 33 cents a mile

Truck carries more. But when you get to 60 MPH and pull back on the wheel nothing happens.

Yeah, but 60mph is certainly low and slow I thought diesels get better mileage than that unless you're a hot rod.

That is a good price on premium. I pay $4.25 w/o alcohol. My road rigs vary from 17 to 20 mpg highway for a cost of $0.22/mile. For me, it is still cheaper to fly most times since flying is straight line and less time on the road means fewer other expenses for meals and motels, usually.

I figure the super cub gets about 11.5 MPG works out about the same on a camping trip as an moterhome and a lot more fun

blackrock wrote:

OregonMaule wrote:M7 Maule O-540 140 MPH 12.8 GPH Premium Mogas $3.80 a gallon is 35 cents a mile

2008 Chev Dura Max diesel 12 MPG Diesel $3.90 a gallon 33 cents a mile

Truck carries more. But when you get to 60 MPH and pull back on the wheel nothing happens.

Yeah, but 60mph is certainly low and slow I thought diesels get better mileage than that unless you're a hot rod.

That is a good price on premium. I pay $4.25 w/o alcohol. My road rigs vary from 17 to 20 mpg highway for a cost of $0.22/mile. For me, it is still cheaper to fly most times since flying is straight line and less time on the road means fewer other expenses for meals and motels, usually.

The dura max will get 18-24 mpg level road, no head wind, take 1 minute to get to 40-50 MPH. Not my real world driving.

I'm more like WOT 0-70MPH in 15 seconds

With my Rand S-7S, with Roberts gear, an 29" bushwheels, on premium Mogas, about 3.80 right now, I cruise at about 94mph @ 4.5gph, or 21mpg. $0.18/mi.

I can fly from N. CA to Idaho in 5.5 hrs on 25 gal


It's for sale: http://emmetw.wix.com/n191ew-for-sale

emflys wrote:With my Rand S-7S, with Roberts gear, an 29" bushwheels, on premium Mogas, about 3.80 right now, I cruise at about 94mph @ 4.5gph, or 21mpg. $0.18/mi.

I can fly from N. CA to Idaho in 5.5 hrs on 25 gal


It's for sale: http://emmetw.wix.com/n191ew-for-sale

And straight line versus road miles means you probably get better mileage than a Prius with a lot better view and higher fun factor

I get 38 average with my Duramax/CNG hybrid at a combined cost of 4.50/gal for Diesel and Natural gas combo at an average cost of .12 cents a mile. The 182 costs about triple that but it's more fun. I'll have to say wedging my dirty, smoky, 600 horse truck into two tiny parking spots between hippie cars in the special "hybrid parking only" section in downtown J-Hole is a close second. It's a great ice breaker between me and the gorpers. They about choke on their soysauge and wheygs when I come wheeling into their happy place.

15 seconds to 70 with a duramax? Mine launches 0-60 in under 6. As far as the skywagon I average 155mph at 11 gpm on my small tires (850x6s).

OregonMaule wrote:

blackrock wrote:

OregonMaule wrote:M7 Maule O-540 140 MPH 12.8 GPH Premium Mogas $3.80 a gallon is 35 cents a mile

2008 Chev Dura Max diesel 12 MPG Diesel $3.90 a gallon 33 cents a mile

Truck carries more. But when you get to 60 MPH and pull back on the wheel nothing happens.

Yeah, but 60mph is certainly low and slow I thought diesels get better mileage than that unless you're a hot rod.

That is a good price on premium. I pay $4.25 w/o alcohol. My road rigs vary from 17 to 20 mpg highway for a cost of $0.22/mile. For me, it is still cheaper to fly most times since flying is straight line and less time on the road means fewer other expenses for meals and motels, usually.

The dura max will get 18-24 mpg level road, no head wind, take 1 minute to get to 40-50 MPH. Not my real world driving.

I'm more like WOT 0-70MPH in 15 seconds

Is there any other way to drive a dura max?

A pretty common trip for us is Ashland, OR to Kneeland, CA to visit grandma's cabin. That's a beautiful 45-minute flight over the Marble Mountains -- about 11 gallons in the 180.

When weather doesn't permit, driving takes 5 hours due to the circuitous, albeit scenic route along the Smith River out to the coast and then down 101, finally turning east again up the mountain. In our Subaru, this usually requires 11 gallons of gas as well.

So for that particular trip, it's a wash fuel-wise, flying or driving.

As an aside If I had a 2-seat LSA, I'd have to make the trip three times in each direction to get my wife and two kids to grandma's... Even at 4 gallons per hour, I'm guessing it would be an hour trip each way. It would take 5 trips to shuttle 3 passengers, so total fuel burn for the LSA: 20 gallons. 180 wins!

My C150/150 burns about 8 gph at 120 mph for about 15 mpg. Only half what my car gets on the highway, but if we're comparing car/airplane costs sometimes the time factor is priceless. Even short trips from here on the west side of the Puget Sound involve taking a cross-sound ferry, which requires waiting in line etc. Being able to get to somewhere in the Seattle area in 30 minutes by airplane vs a couple hours by car is really nice.

Tundra O-360 180 hp 10 gal/hr cruise and 132 mph for 13.2 mpg Does 0-60 10 seconds on grass
Dodge Ram 5.7 290 hp 60 mph 20.5 mpg Does 0-60 Under 8 seconds pavement.

Edit: 20.5 on level no wind while on 4 cylinders and dropping to 16 when all eight kick in and 8 mph while making the 0-60 run.

I plan on 115 mph @ 10.5 g/hr in a 180 hp Maule. So 10.9 mpg. At our fuel prices (approx $8 USD/gal) it starts getting spendy
Incidentally the exact same mpg figure as OregonMaule with the 0540.

You's guy's Dmaxs must be magic? Mine doesn't come close at any level.... I rue the day I sold my '03 7.3, as it smoked the Dmax in every category and was 10 years older

If going a distance in the 180, I find that if I fly at 22"mp and 2150 rpm I can get 12.5- 12.7 gph at 153-155 mph.... So 12 and a halfish... Good enough for me... If I have to worry too much about the fuel cost I'm screwed because driving woulda cost more... On 31's my cub used to get as good a mileage as Bill's (which is still less than the 180) but Wup sent me some wheels that really screwed that pooch... It now goes J3 speeds on C185 fuel burns... Win win

While I totally appreciate the notion of slowing down and enjoying the country side, I also tend to like to enjoy country side 'away' from home... So if your time counts for anything, at some point speed loss loses attraction over mpg gain, so on that note, anyone got a line on a 200mph cub that burns 4.4 gph ?

At 85 mph @ 5-6 gph in the CC cub so about 15 mpg
At 115 mph its around 9 so 12-13 mpg

In the Cirrus its 195 mph at 12.5 gph so 15.6 mpg

Its funny but on most trips the Cirrus uses less fuel. Expecially if there is a head wind.

Burns a lot on take off though so thats not true on short hops

RV-8 does 185 MPH on 7 GPH, for 26 MPG. I can't get autofuel without ethanol, the ethanol doesn't let me run LOP so I run 100 LL. $5.50/gal, ~$0.20/mile. 185mph/160knots seems to be the sweet spot for me. Faster costs a lot more gas and I can go slow and burn a lot less gas but what's the sense in that. Last week it was 4 hrs from SoCal to Idaho.

at 80mph, 4.5gph '46 J3C comes out to about 18mpg at $5/g I get $0.28 per mile

2006 Toyota Tundra Double Cab, gets 18mpg hwy at 55 mph, at $3.40/g regular I get $0.18 per mile

Who flies in zero wind, though? Seems like I always have headwinds and I drive my truck like I stole it most of the time tickling 85mph cause I just want it to be over. I'd rather be in the plane.

180driver wrote:15 seconds to 70 with a duramax? Mine launches 0-60 in under 6. As far as the skywagon I average 155mph at 11 gpm on my small tires (850x6s).

Your probably closer on the 0-60 times. I didn't want to be one of those guys who says his diesel gets 27MPG while pulling a trailer up hill at 70MPH. I'm on my 4th diesel dually. 96 and 99 Fords. 03 and 08 Chevs. All 1 tons. They get good mileage if you keep your foot light. I can't seem to do that.

Nosedragger wrote:I get 38 average with my Duramax/CNG hybrid at a combined cost of 4.50/gal for Diesel and Natural gas combo at an average cost of .12 cents a mile. I'll have to say wedging my dirty, smoky, 600 horse truck into two tiny parking spots between hippie cars in the special "hybrid parking only" section in downtown J-Hole is a close second. They about choke on their soysauge and wheygs when I come wheeling into their happy place.

38 MPG making 600HP That's the best I have ever heard.

G'Day

OregonMaule wrote:Your probably closer on the 0-60 times. I didn't want to be one of those guys who says his diesel gets 27MPG while pulling a trailer up hill at 70MPH. I'm on my 4th diesel dually. 96 and 99 Fords. 03 and 08 Chevs. All 1 tons. They get good mileage if you keep your foot light. I can't seem to do that.

So true!

I'm on my 2nd Ford 3/4 ton. '00 7.3 and now an '08 6.4. I get roughly 17 on the highway, somewhere around 13-14 mixed rural highway/city. I also like to put my foot down. And I do actually have a dynograph showing 520whp / 1103wtq