Age old question, often different for every pilot.

The Mission always plays a part in a purchase, but in in STOL type aircraft or something for getting in the bush we are typically on the slow end of that scale.

So in *your* backcountry taildragger, nosedragger or other airborne carrier, what's your minimum tolerance for cruise speed? 50 kts? 60 kts, 70 kts, 100 kts? How slow of an airplane will you fly before pulling your hair out?

I started at 50 only because I expect my tolerance would be short lived at that cruise speed.

STOL is exact opposite of FAST.

To me, depended on where I lived. I'd have a super cub first and foremost.... But since I live states away from the mountains my cruise speed intolerance is pretty low. To fly a cub from SE Texas to Idaho/California regularly would be pretty non-sustainable.

It's just what you set your mind to.

I like to see 100 knots across the ground most the time, but it all depends. I knew (of) a old feller who flew a J3 Cub from the US to southern Mexico twice a year for a couple decades. It was before GPS and he carried road maps because he flew slow enough to read the road signs. He couldn't be making more than 60mph on average, but I doubt he minded the speed one bit.

What's a knot?

Barnstormer wrote:What's a knot?

No need to know...you have my tie-downs.

100mph.

Spraying in a CallAir A5 at 60 mph was fun. An A9 at 90 was pleasant. An Air Tractor at 150 was just too scary.

I want to see 120 kts minimum. The old straight tail seems to get that very consistently, and usually will beat it. If I can slow it down to around 60, that does what I want it to do. Just aching to see what the difference that the Wing x is going to make on it.

Depends,

I'd happy ferry a J3 across the country for someone on my time off, I think it would be quite meditative.

The plane I fly for work averages 240kts.

Mine does about 120kts which works great for my personal flying range.

Learned on a plane which would do about 75kts.


All are fine with me, just depends on my schedule and said mission.

I bought my s6s with the 116 speed wing.. I was worried I might regret it due to not having as good of STOL capability as the larger wing. But after the zipper kit, prop, and vg's all over the wing, it will land at 35 mph nicely, stall at 30 or below with a fairly high aoa, 200ft take off at 6600ft field elevaton and cruise happily at 110mph indicated with 21" mains and large nose wheel...

I'm actually super happy with the speed envelope, and I can honestly say it would be hard to give up much cruise speed now.. I don't do a ton of x country but it's nice to at least do decent speeds and still get through the wind if its blowing in your face

If you want to feel faster, just fly lower (and turn off the GPS)

Anything over about 80 makes it hard to stay below the trees going upriver, or down the canyon. Might as well just fly commercial at that point.

GravityKnight wrote:I bought my s6s with the 116 speed wing.. I was worried I might regret it due to not having as good of STOL capability as the larger wing. But after the zipper kit, prop, and vg's all over the wing, it will land at 35 mph nicely, stall at 30 or below with a fairly high aoa, 200ft take off at 6600ft field elevaton and cruise happily at 110mph indicated with 21" mains and large nose wheel...

I'm actually super happy with the speed envelope, and I can honestly say it would be hard to give up much cruise speed now.. I don't do a ton of x country but it's nice to at least do decent speeds and still get through the wind if its blowing in your face

That's a pretty good envelope for personal flying, particularly in a stol capable. I'd like to see the 90 kt / 100 mph minimum, to keep me happy on 2-3 hr flights. As contact mentioned, spraying at 60 is the right speed for that altitude, but getting to the field and back can be painful.

NimpoCub wrote:STOL is exact opposite of FAST.

You haven't flown a Maule: Takes off or lands in 300', carries 900+ lbs, perfectly happy to fly from 60 to 130mph. STOL with good cruise capability.

Anything equal to or faster then vehicle traffic below does it for me. I'll never forget when a friend with a Vari-Eze that he cruised around 200 MPH, complained about it being hard to get much time built up in it, he got there too fast! I don't have that "problem". Triple digits (ind.) for me is noteworthy and rare, but I somehow tolerate it

courierguy wrote:Anything equal to or faster then vehicle traffic below does it for me.

Winner!

Barnstormer wrote:What's a knot?

+1

IT'S THE JOURNEY

DeltaRomeo wrote:

NimpoCub wrote:STOL is exact opposite of FAST.

You haven't flown a Maule: Takes off or lands in 300', carries 900+ lbs, perfectly happy to fly from 60 to 130mph. STOL with good cruise capability.

My Maule was equipped with a factory installed built in headwind