Duchess Photos

Wicked Pilot · Post by **Wicked Pilot** » 2003-05-21 07:36pm

Here are some photos I took with some spare exposures the other day.

What you see out the window is my school's campus

And this is of course me after the flight. I had one exposure left so oh well, I'm too beautiful to pass up.

Ted · Post by **Ted** » 2003-05-21 07:56pm

BASTARD!

You had me going that it was pics of Marina, the Duchess.

Ah well.

Howedar · Post by **Howedar** » 2003-05-21 07:57pm

I always found Duchesses to be ugly aircraft, to be honest. Nice pictures though.

Einhander Sn0m4n · Post by **Einhander Sn0m4n** » 2003-05-21 08:23pm

Ted wrote:BASTARD!

You had me going that it was pics of Marina, the Duchess.

Ah well.

Somehow I was fully expecting that.

Excellent work, Wicked Pilot

Nice plane too!

Wicked Pilot · Post by **Wicked Pilot** » 2003-05-22 11:43am

Howedar wrote:I always found Duchesses to be ugly aircraft, to be honest. Nice pictures though.

I don't like them either. They look like an oversived sperm with wings and a 'T' tail. They are also horribly underpowered.

Kelly Antilles · Post by **Kelly Antilles** » 2003-05-22 12:02pm

WP, so, were you at the... er... wheel?

Einhander Sn0m4n · Post by **Einhander Sn0m4n** » 2003-05-22 02:07pm

Wicked Pilot wrote:
Howedar wrote:I always found Duchesses to be ugly aircraft, to be honest. Nice pictures though.
I don't like them either. They look like an oversived sperm with wings and a 'T' tail. They are also horribly underpowered.

Underpowered? That's a feat considering it's a twin-engine ship. I don't like the constant-chord stab on that T-tail tho. Ugh!

Wicked Pilot · Post by **Wicked Pilot** » 2003-05-22 10:03pm

Kelly Antilles wrote:WP, so, were you at the... er... wheel?

At that time no. My 'co-pilot' was holding the plane while I took the photos.

Einhander Sn0m4n wrote:Underpowered? That's a feat considering it's a twin-engine ship. I don't like the constant-chord stab on that T-tail tho. Ugh!

It is a twin, but with that extra engine comes extra weight. Each engine is rated at 180 HP. If you lose an engine with four passangers and full fuel on most days the plane will not hold altitude on the remaining one. As a comparison, another plane I've flown which is a little bit bigger, the Piper Senaca II, has two 200 HP turbocharged engines. Multiengine planes that small are not at all required by the FAA to climb or even hold altitude with one engine in-op. Larger planes such as corporate, regional, and airliners are mandated by law to have some kind of climb performance on one engine.

Kelly Antilles · Post by **Kelly Antilles** » 2003-05-22 10:43pm

Wicked Pilot wrote: At that time no. My 'co-pilot' was holding the plane while I took the photos.

Wow? The WHOLE plane?? He must have been strong.

Wicked Pilot · Post by **Wicked Pilot** » 2003-05-22 10:51pm

Kelly Antilles wrote:Wow? The WHOLE plane?? He must have been strong.

Actually, at times you must put forth a lot of force to hold the airplane. If you lose an engine, you must bank and yaw into the good engine or the plane spins out of control. You must put a very large amount of force on the rudder petal to do that. The rudder trim helps you some, but after a while, your leg gets very tired. In more powered planes like the Seneca your legs get even more exhausted after flying on one engine. Flying ain't for the weak.