Cardinal Operations: Preflight CFO

Cardinal Operations:

These pages are a collection of the ideas and impressions of the Cardinal pilots who frequent this site. This information is anecdotal and informal, and may not be completely accurate.

As always, the Cessna operations and flight manual, and the advice of a certified flight instructor, should be your primary source of information regarding the safe operation of your aircraft.

Configuring for takeoff

The Cardinal has an unusual flap system in one major respect: when deployed the flaps travel backword for some time before starting down, increasing the area of the wing before adding drag or otherwise affecting the airfoil.

This results in a rather unusual configuration for takeoff: 10 degrees flaps deployed. This increase in wing area helps with quick takeoff and moves the center of lift back a touch. It also lowers the nose attitude for takeoff a little, resulting in a cleaner departure with better visibility.

Remember that the elevator is highly effective on the Cardinal, especially at low speeds, so set the elevator trip to the high side (nose down direction) of the takeoff setting.

Optional Configurations for takeoff

Some Cardinal owners have suggested even more flaps for takeoff, most often proposing a 15 degree flap setting in soft field conditions. We have done some research into this at CFO flyins, and it appears that the facts are as follows:

The Fixed Gear manual mentions 15 degrees of flaps in the maximum performance takeoff section.
The RG manual recommends 10 degrees, and in 1975 and before stated that 'use of more than 10 degrees of flaps for takeoff is not recommended.'
In 1976 and after, the RG manual changes this to 'use of more than 10 degrees of flaps for takeoff is not approved.'

Doing the Takeoff

The Cardinal will not offer any surprises during takeoff. Align, bring up power, let it roll and lighten the nosewheel at apx. 55 knots. It will fly itself off smoothly, without overrotation or any need for a special pull.

With the trim set to high (nosedown) extreme of the recommended takeoff range, the elevator will still be set to a rather low airspeed. You should expect to dial in a bit of down trim fairly soon after takeoff. It is set so as to hit best angle climb speeds, a bit high for a normal takeoff.

Post Takeoff actions

My normal sequence on the RG is to simply fly the airplane until unable to land on the remaining runway, then raise the gear.

I'll then work down the row of knobs, setting first manifold pressure, then RPM then mixture at the top of their respective green arcs. That will set full power. If you are above 4000 feet density altitude, check the table on the console for best power fuel flows and adjust to that for initial climb.

You could start a religious war with firm opinion about when to reduce power in climb. Nothing special here.. I usually use full power until I reach an altitude that feels safe, depending on surroundings.

Once that altitude has been reached, it's once more down the row of knobs:

Set the throttle to the proper manifold pressure for my desired cruise climb power setting. I usually set it at 24 inches for initial climb. The Cardinal likes to be run hard, however, and many people just stay with full throttle if they are planning to do climb high and go somewhere.

I'll usually put it where I'd like it to be long term and leave it there.

Spin out the prop control to your desired RPM for climb. Most airplanes have a sweet spot, a revolution rate that just feels right. Mine changed when I overhauled the engine.. get a feel for it and set it there when you're ready for cruise climb.

You will rarely change RPM on a Cardinal, most power changes are done with throttle.

The Mixture should be set last. Again preference rules, but most people will lean to 25 rich of peak EGT for cruise climb. Some will go immediately to a lean-of-peak setting. More about that on this page. This is a change from what we all learned in the 152s and 172s of the training fleet. Most of us were taught to lean about 3000 feet MSL, but a Cardinal should be leaned right away, at or below 1000 feet AGL. It's much better for the plugs, the airplane is quite happy with a leaner mixture and you'll save gas.

Overall observations