425 MPH
Ed,
A Glasair III will do 291 MPH in level flight at sea level. At my air shows I would dive in down wind at an indicated air speed of 350 MPH. At high altitude shows on a warm day that’s a true airspeed of about 405 MPH. Entering down wind 20 feet from the runway I have seen my GPS register ground speeds of 425+MPH. And while traveling 425 MPH at altitude feels like sitting still in your living room, when you are inverted 20 feet above a runway going over 400 MPH it feels really fast. Those were crazy years for me but I strangely felt the most alive when I was a nanosecond from oblivion at a show.
I still fly aerobatics but I do it at safer altitudes and I don’t perform air shows anymore. Years ago DBK strapped on a parachute and sampled some high G akro with me. Cheers.
Chip
Ed,
A Glasair III will do 291 MPH in level flight at sea level. At my air shows I would dive in down wind at an indicated air speed of 350 MPH. At high altitude shows on a warm day that’s a true airspeed of about 405 MPH. Entering down wind 20 feet from the runway I have seen my GPS register ground speeds of 425+MPH. And while traveling 425 MPH at altitude feels like sitting still in your living room, when you are inverted 20 feet above a runway going over 400 MPH it feels really fast. Those were crazy years for me but I strangely felt the most alive when I was a nanosecond from oblivion at a show.
I still fly aerobatics but I do it at safer altitudes and I don’t perform air shows anymore. Years ago DBK strapped on a parachute and sampled some high G akro with me. Cheers.
Chip
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