7/26/2012 11:07 PM
Mel,
Nothing against Jack's GPS suggestion, but my portable GPS seems to update only every 15 seconds or so. I'm with Sam, only because you and your guys should always remember the basics, by going way back in time.
First of all, determine the speed that you can safely navigate your course. That may be 6 mph, or 3 mph. I don't know your course. But that is the MOST important information that you need. The safest speed that you can navigate your course.
Then.....find a section of road where you can mark off at least 500 feet. The longer the better. But let's assume 500 feet. Does your watch have a timer on it, or better yet, can you get a true stop watch? Once you've timed that distance....and found your true ground speed, (forget the damn manuals) write down the RPMs, low-high, which gear, the color of your socks, at FULL foot pedal. Then repeat, and repeat, until you ascertain your desired speed. Change gears, change engine RPMs, whatever....but find that 3, 5, or 6 mph speed you're looking for.
But if everything fails on you, including that cute knob to lock down your accelerator pedal, you'll now have a book that will tell you that at such and such a gear, with your engine cranked to say, 2000 RPM, with the accelerator all the way to the floor.....you will know your ground speed is what you want. And all your operator needs to do is get the gears in the right position, the engine racing at the correct speed.....and make sure he keeps that "pedal to the metal".....at ALL times.
I like setting up my transmission gears, setting my engine speed, and keeping my boot to the floor at ALL times. If one of your guys says his leg is getting tired, then he's trying to push the pedal through the floorboard, and is probably on meth. The amount of pressure required to put that pedal to the floor is nothing.
Man, I'm getting goose bumps. I love calibrating sprayers, and tractors, and spreaders, and other stuff.
Are you sure you don't want me to fly there and lend you a hand? My Gulfstream G280 is full of fuel. (You should really check out their website. She's sweet.) I just need to know where to land. If the airport is more than 200 miles away, I would expect to be provided with nothing less than a '68 VW bus. If it breaks down, I can pull the engine and rebuild it on the side of the road. I've only done that 11 times.