Page 21 - Volume 16 Number 2

Great Traveling
With power pulled back to a distant purr, the 421C is very nice place to settle in for a long trip. The view through the tall cockpit windows is good (but keep someone in the right seat, both for weight and balance and to clear for right turns) and the cabin altitude at 17,500 is only 5,000 feet, thanks to 5.0 PSI pressurization. When descending, as little as 22 inches will maintain pressurization, but it’s better to have the speed-brakes mod to keep the engines happy. If not, both the gear and 15-degree flaps can go out, allowed up to 175 KIAS. Maneuvering and slowflight handling are straightforward, and even when we’ve performed stalls, with 15 inches m.p., there are no surprises, just a lot of buffeting and easy recovery, with the break coming at 80 KIAS when clean and 65 knots dirty (calibrated numbers are 83 and 74).
Coming home, the 421C is a superb instrument approach platform. On the glideslope, 22 inches produces 120 knots nicely, or one can hold 140 knots to keep up with traffic; full flaps are allowed up to 146. Do not get slow across the fence; the short-winged 421C can sink fast and embarrass its pilot, even if you have the trailing-link gear. The blue line is slow enough until committed, with power kept up until the flare. It’s best to leave the prop levers alone unless going around, to minimize driving the engine with the propellers.
The 421’s strength and weakness is its big cabin; it will hold more than is good for it, and not a few have been tipped on their tail from hasty boarding. Load the aircraft from front to back, including the nose baggage, and don’t expect to carry a lot in the rear. It’s tempting to overload or, worse yet, aft load; do the calculations, to learn what works and what doesn’t.
Otherwise, it’s a great old bird and
F Dowty
F HArtzell
F MCCAuley
F Mt propeller
F SenSeniCH
F rApCo DiStributor
F wooDwArD pt6A http://www.rockyprop.com
e-mail: rockyprop@rockyprop.com
F lArge inventory F SAMe DAy SHipping F unCoMproMiSeD QuAlity F CoMpetitive priCeS F worlD ClASS wArrAnty F FACtory trAineD teCHniCiAnS
2865 Airport Drive F erie, Co 80516
FAx: 303-665-7164 F faa/EaSa crS fr6r545n
will deliver go•
od capability for its owner. Treat it well and it’ll treat you
well in return. T&T FEBRUARY 2012
TWIN & TURBINE • 19