A bit of an unusual topic, but here goes. Since this place is certainly the home of the contrail experts, I'll ask here. I fly a lot of big, piston engined propeller-driven 1950's airliners in a flight simulator. No jet or turboprop engines - just four huge radials with 18 or even 28 cylinders, and up to 71 liters and 3400 horsepower. Each. They also fly decently high, from 22,000 feet in one plane to 30,000 feet in another.
Now the question. All of the ones I fly have the contrail formation temperature (in flight simulator) set at -20 C. Is that correct for piston engines, or should it be -40 C, like jets?
Now the question. All of the ones I fly have the contrail formation temperature (in flight simulator) set at -20 C. Is that correct for piston engines, or should it be -40 C, like jets?