Simviation Forum - condition levers

Nov 12^th, 2010 at 1:31pm

DenisH Offline
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What are condition levers for and how does a pilot determine their settings? I fly the Pilatus P-12 daily and set the Condition lever at ground idle so the plane doesn't start rolling even with brakes on. I set it full for takeoff and then just arbitrarily ease it off 1/3. Would this be correct for all turbines? Is it correct at all? Thanks.

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Reply #1 - Nov 12^th, 2010 at 2:02pm

SeanTK Ex Member

Here is an excerpt from another forum. Basically, in the case of an aircraft with an engine type such as the PT-6, as found on Twin Otters, King Airs, etc, it's a fuel flow control lever:

Condition levers control fuel flow. The condition levers in the King Air have 3 positions, Cut-off, Low-Idle, and High-Idle. By moving the condition levers to Low-Idle, you set the engine to idle at a specific speed, moving them to High-Idle allows the engine to idle at a higher speed by introducing a greater constant fuel flow. Low-idle is used for starting and taxi; High-idle is used for normal flight and any time that that extra bleed air is required (such as for the air conditioning with only one engine running). Cut-off is just that, it cuts-off fuel to the engine.

In some other aircraft, such as the ATR series, the condition lever control both fuel flow and prop pitch.

Wink

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Reply #2 - Nov 12^th, 2010 at 4:17pm

DaveSims Offline
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Your typical PT-6 installation, including the PC-12, will have a throttle, prop control, and condition lever. The condition lever is as described above. The only time you would use a reduced setting on the condition lever would be for startup and taxi. During flight you leave it full forward.

It is not quite like a mixture control on a piston, as the fuel control on a turbine is automatically adjusted. You do not have to lean it out as you climb.

Dave

www.flymcw.com

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Reply #3 - Nov 12^th, 2010 at 11:55pm

DenisH Offline
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Question answered! Thanks.

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Reply #4 - Nov 14^th, 2010 at 11:01am

C Offline
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DaveSims wrote on Nov 12^th, 2010 at 4:17pm:

Your typical PT-6 installation, including the PC-12, will have a throttle, prop control, and condition lever. The condition lever is as described above.

Essentially a throwback to when they first appeared, and of course all prop aircraft (other than those with fixed pitch props) had to have all three levers! Makes the centre console on something like a King Air far more congested, particularly when their function could be performed by smaller levers, or even to an extent these days, switches, located more conveniently.

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Reply #5 - Nov 14^th, 2010 at 2:55pm

-Crossfire- Offline
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C wrote on Nov 14^th, 2010 at 11:01am:

DaveSims wrote on Nov 12^th, 2010 at 4:17pm:

Your typical PT-6 installation, including the PC-12, will have a throttle, prop control, and condition lever. The condition lever is as described above.

Essentially a throwback to when they first appeared, and of course all prop aircraft (other than those with fixed pitch props) had to have all three levers! Makes the centre console on something like a King Air far more congested, particularly when their function could be performed by smaller levers, or even to an extent these days, switches, located more conveniently.

Yes but in an engine failiure situation... I want to be reaching for something I can FEEL... like the prop lever or condition lever. I don't want to feather a prop by flicking a tiny switch, and accidentally hitting the wrong one!

Not all turbines are flown with the conditions at high idle. We keep them at low idle for all phases of flight in the King Air 100. The only time we use high idle is to charge the battery after start (if it needs to be charged).

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Reply #6 - Nov 14^th, 2010 at 5:56pm

C Offline
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-Crossfire- wrote on Nov 14^th, 2010 at 2:55pm:

Yes but in an engine failiure situation... I want to be reaching for something I can FEEL... like the prop lever or condition lever. I don't want to feather a prop by flicking a tiny switch, and accidentally hitting the wrong one!

I'm not suggesting you'd have a switch for engine shutdown (maybe for the change between a low and high idle) - you'd still have a lever, but maybe in not such a space consuming place. Wink

You could also argue that you want that lever located where it couldn't accidentally be mistaken for the one next to it.

I speak from experience of operating two different US built turboprops - one with a single power lever (no separate prop/condition lever), a switch for low/high idle, and a conveniently located but unobtrusive lever for emergency engine shutdown - the other, a 15 years younger King Air with a gucci instrument fit, and 1960s vintage engine controls! Wink

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Reply #7 - Nov 15^th, 2010 at 12:18am

-Crossfire- Offline
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Personally, I like the King Air center console... I don't think it's congested at all... but I havn't flown much else.... to each his own Cool

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Reply #8 - Nov 15^th, 2010 at 11:46am

C Offline
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-Crossfire- wrote on Nov 15^th, 2010 at 12:18am:

Personally, I like the King Air center console... I don't think it's congested at all... but I havn't flown much else.... to each his own Cool

Nothing wrong with it, just could be better. Wink

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Reply #9 - Nov 23^rd, 2010 at 7:35pm

Flying Trucker Offline
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Good evening all...

I won't mention the DC4s and 6s.

But

I found the Center Console on the Douglas DC3/Dak/C47 wonderful for holding my pipe firmly in place

And

I found the roof mounted control levers on the Consolidated Canso/Catalina/PBY5A great for hanging my head gear on

DANG IT....did I type that all out.... Grin

Cheers...Happy Landings...Doug

« Last Edit: Nov 24^th, 2010 at 8:13am by Flying Trucker »

Cheers...Happy Landings...Doug

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Reply #10 - Nov 23^rd, 2010 at 8:14pm

DaveSims Offline
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Flying Trucker wrote on Nov 23^rd, 2010 at 7:35pm:

Good evening all...

I won't mention the DC4s and 6s.

But

I found the Center Console on the Douglas DC3/Dak/C47 wonderful for holding my pipe firmly in place

And

I found the roof mounted control levers on the Consolidated Canso great for hanging my head gear on

DANG IT....did I type that all out.... Grin

Cheers...Happy Landings...Doug

Doug, you either just dated yourself with that post, or you are currently flying boxes around Alaska (since many of those types are still in use there). Grin

Dave

www.flymcw.com

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Reply #11 - Nov 23^rd, 2010 at 10:51pm

Flying Trucker Offline
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Hi Dave...

Been retired twenty years or more I guess.

The 4s & 6s were okay, not as much work but I turned down two aircraft that I could have checked out in and flown. The Lockheed Electra and the sportscar of the Boeing fleet, the 737.

There are still a few DC3s, 4s, 6s, Canso/Catalina/PBY5A, Curtiss C46s, Fairchild C119 Boxcars operating in Canada but fuel and parts are becoming a problem for all of them.
A friend told me he saw a Armstrong Whitworth Argosy up north but not sure if it was being restored or registered somewhere else. That was another great I never got to fly...

I thought there was only one left flying in the world so I think it was something else but he thinks it was an Argosy so mode it be...

After nearly three logbooks full and not wanting to go back on course again and again and again I hung up my spurs.... Wink

We were lucky as the company paid for all the training not like today where the aviator pays for his own.

When asked what aeroplane was my favourite I just answer all of them, they were all real ladies... Wink

Cheers...Happy Landings...Doug
P.S. Sorry to get off topic DenisH...

« Last Edit: Nov 24^th, 2010 at 9:25am by Flying Trucker »

Cheers...Happy Landings...Doug

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