Page 14 - Volume 19 Number 10

The new Cessna twin sacrificedheadroom in favor of a wider cabin.rheostats. Fuel selectors are on the floor, and everything else is handy at waist level.The pedestal has the power stalks and cowl flap handles, along with trim and autopilot controls. Power gauges are at eye-level under the glareshield and there’s plenty of room for avionics plus right-side gauges. Starting and electrical switches are on the left sidewall, with a priming toggle between the starter buttons to actuate the high boost pump. One quickly learns to catch a faltering engine with primer, starting with mixture rich and pumps off. Once running, the boost pumps go “on”, which is a low-speed vapor-purge setting unless the engine-driven pump fails, causing the boost pumpto automatically go to “high”.Taxiing is a pleasure, with light pedal pressures and prompt steering. Visibility isn’t bad, despite the long nose; the maingear span is almost18 feet, so it pays to watch taxiway radius and centerlines. There’s a heavy elevator down-weight and a slight aileron/rudder bungee interconnect, neither of which are objectionable. Runup is conducted at a sedate 1,700 rpm, trims and controls are checked, boost pumps are verified on, cowl flaps are open and air conditioner turned off for departure. The prop synchrophaser can be left on.Line-up and go involves the usual spool-up for the turbochargers, and regard for the single-engine operation numbers. Vmc is 80 knots, but Vyse is 104 knots. A compromise of 95 knots gives Vxse, so rotation is scheduled for about 90 knots, at which point liftoff and gear retraction would put one in safe territory. Flaps are not used, since they are primarily a drag device.Acceleration is quick, given that the power-loading is around 10 pounds per horsepower, and 2,000Covington Aircraft Engines Half Page4/C Ad12 • TWIN & TURBINEOCTOBER 2015