Bob is right, but you would have to get pretty high before your IAS cruise was at the IAS for best rate of climb. In fact, that would essentially define the service ceiling. (at least for your cruise RPM setting) Trim for best rate of climb, and climb until it won't climb any more - so you are essentially now cruising at IAS for best rate of climb. Certainly must be in the FL's right?
I would have to go back and look through my data to see where the cross-over speed is where flaps =0 and flaps = -3 would give same performance.
Steve, you da man (on a great team)! It's a beautiful wing on a beautiful ship... and after giving up my LS6b, that's saying a lot!
I've always felt that getting a QB wing was a great decision given the high quality of the riveting on the leading edge. Spent a fair amount of time pondering what kind of laminar flow characteristics the wing had. It's apparent to me that there are some significant effects but at the same time it's a total joy to maneuver and is tolerant of contaminants like rain and little bits of ice (not much!). (btw, intolerant = a PIK20b stalling during a pull-up into virga).
I have no stripes on the white wing but wish I had a patch of color to detect ice. I once picked up an invisible amount that was only detectable by airspeed loss. I rely on looking back at my red stabilizer for ice detection but Florida is the best fix.
I live on an obstructed, semi-rough grass field so all takeoffs are with a notch of flaps (not clear I could get out with 2, bags, full fuel and reflex flaps- not even an option). As a result all takeoffs on all surfaces are done with a notch just to stay consistent.
I climb at 133 knots and neutral flaps, dropping to 125 passing through 7 or 8k.
All cruising was done in reflex until recently. Now I've started playing with neutral flaps above 8k. Currently I'm subjectively thinking that the 'cross over' point for me is typically at 9 or 10k. I think all these figures are very loading dependent so YMMV.
Bill "I like flying on top of the convection now" Watson
N215TG - flying 5 years
aka Mauledriver, FourEyes (4i)