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F-18 Range

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Flork:
I haven't seen much about the range of the Hornet in cross-country flight.  I'm trying to prep this beautiful bird for some work in the upcoming round-the-world race. Anybody have input about best altitude/power settings for maximum range/speed with full tanks?

For example I took her up last light and flew 955 miles at 32000 ft, cruise power was the first afterburner setting (FF 1800 I believe). Was making 460 kts IAS. I'd like to try to get 1300 miles out of her though....

virtuali:
You can use the FPAS page on the DDI, to help you optimizing your range. Try different altitude and power settings, and see how the projected endurance changes.

Flork:
Thanks, I'm actually pretty good at flying the FPAS and am in the process of tweaking my performance sheet on this aircraft-just wondering if anyone else has done the work already.

I have learned that you don't want to come down from altitude too soon-becomes a gas hog real fast.  I'm thinking fly high and slower than the posted cruise (580 KIAS), and dive sharply with speedbrakes to the destination airport for max range.

Great Ozzie:
Hey Flork,

If you come up with Altitudes/Power Settings you like... would you mind posting them here?

I was trying to do something similiar with the F-18.  I flew (or was trying to) from Reykjavík (BIRK) to Alert, Canada (CYLT) via Nerlerit Inaat Airport (BGCO) at 35,000 (no AB whatsoever) but I ran out of fuel about about 30NM from Alert.

So... for now I have gone back to the Lear45 because of it's great speed and long legs.  Fwiw, in the Lear I fly at 43,000 or 44,000ft at .79M.  On max range flights, I do the same re: descent.  I wait as long as possible for just the reason you said... fuel efficiency up high.

Rob O.

Flork:
Rob, took a test flight today. My primary setting has been the first afterburner setting.  If you just barely hit the afterburner you will see the fuel flow actually drop.  In AB there seem to be three different flow settings. The first setting is very fuel efficient.

Departing with 10639 gals of fuel:

Climb 5 degrees up in 1st AB setting (620 KIAS at 6000 ft, FF=3500)
to 40000 ft, FF at same setting drops to 1300, 380 KIAS

Cruise at 380 KIAS (no tailwind GS was approx 700 knts)
Total climb used 750 gals of fuel
Range at FF 1300 Alt 40000 380 KIAS = 2230 miles to bingo!

Was able to make a 1350 nautical mile flight (Denver to Philly) with 4500 gals of fuel remaining.

I believe that by tweaking my descent profile (seems to be where the most fuel is burned) and finding the optimum cruise altitude will allow me to make a 2000 mile flight and remain 600 knots+ groundspeed.

Will run some trials this week and post results.

Anyone want to take the challenge? Who can get the greatest range out of the Hornet?

Flork

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