Hints & Tips for complex engine management

[-)-MAILMAN-]

Since more emphasis has been placed on temperature management and overheating the method of controlling the temperature needs to be addressed.

Right now opening the "Radiator" causes the Cowl, Intercooler & oil cooler flaps to open together. This causes a lot of drag. We should be able to open only the flaps that have an affect on the associated heat problem. On the planes where these flaps had separate controls they should be separate. If certain or all of these flaps were combined then they should be combined.

Here are some examples straight out of the Pilot Manuals for the below aircraft:

Corsairs
Cowl Flaps had its own operating lever to help with Cylinder Head Temperature
Intercooler Flap had its own operating lever to help with Carburetor Air Temperature
Oil Cooler Flaps had its own operating lever to help with Oil Temperature from Prop RPM

F6F-3
Cowl Flaps had its own operating lever to help with Cylinder Head Temperature
Intercooler Door and Oil Cooler Flaps had a combined operating lever to help with Carburetor Air Temperature and to help with Oil Temperature from Prop RPM

F6F-5
Cowl Flaps had its own operating lever to help with Cylinder Head Temperature
Intercooler Flap had its own operating lever to help with Carburetor Air Temperature
Oil Cooler Flaps had its own operating lever to help with Oil Temperature from Prop RPM

In each of the manuals there are multiple options for dealing with each type of heat such as reducing or increasing climb speed, opening the corresponding flap, reducing throttle or rpm and changing blower speeds. On most American birds we do not have the option of lean or auto-lean for the mixture, just auto-rich or full rich nor are we given the ability to switch from automatic pitch to manual pitch of the propeller. All of these are factors and contribute to the control of the temperatures.