I know the run that you are describing, I had very similar results when I flew the VF 46. The low pitch high rpm runs did produce very consistent speed and power at every point in the pattern. Even when I switched to the PA40 I ran that type of setup.
That's not exactly the same thing (although Ted has been trying that one out again recently). That was our first-generation system. The Paul Walker style system, or the system that Ted came up with for the 46VF/Eather prop is what David and I have been trying to more-or-less replicate.
BTW, at the 96 NATs I was running the PA40 and my launch revs were in the 12,200 range and I was melting everything attached to it. I was going to withdraw but I put the 40VF in right before qualifying, flew one practice flight, and was back in business.
It was not until I moved to the bigger engines that I, almost unconsciously, started tweaking up on pitch and started working back to the 2-4 break that I grew up flying. The power is there to fly the 2-4 without having to give up anything in the way of performance
I could almost use it still too, if I only ever flew it in the midwest/southeast. Every problem we had was greatly reduced when we went back there. By the same token, you can take a perfectly workable system from there, come out here, and it was absolutely uncontrollable. That long predates piped engines, Ted had a system that was absolutely perfect in Georgia, had Dixon box up the engine and send it, and it wouldn't work AT ALL here, usual "schneurle" problems.
It also works a lot better with the larger engines. My understanding of the issue was the result of Paul and I comparing notes on the PA40 and coming to the conclusion that we couldn't get it to work the way we wanted, specifically, the tendency to break hard on outside corners. It had more power than the VF but the rapid acceleration was unacceptable. The 61 was much more gentle because you could detune it, but even then, it worked more like what we wanted when we pumped it up to be able to run it in a 4-stroke all the time. David discovered the spigot venturi trick that Billy was using and that pretty much got it where we wanted, most of the time.
The RO-Jett 144 degree bar-stock version does that effortlessly and the breaks (if they happen) are far more controllable, at any level of compression. I would never run the PA across the break, but the Jett has no issue, it's like a giant 46VF (which also does a wonderfully smooth 4-2 break). Interestingly, the 136 degree Jett runs more like a PA and the 136 degree cast case Jett runs almost exactly like a PA. I think I know why but that's not for me to advertise. My early Jett 61 was rather weaker than the average PA61, my two newer ones are a lot closer. The PA you got was by far the strongest of the bunch, way better than any of Dave's.
I have flown them back-to-back-back in the same airplane several times (40VF, PA61, RO-Jett 61 BSE) and they are completely different but probably can get about the same score. The 40 feels weak but acceptable, not surprisingly, the PA feels very strong but it's like someone is randomly blipping the throttle compared to the RO-Jett. In heavy straight wind I would rank them Jett-VF-PA, in turbulence I would rank them Jett-PA-------VF. The VF is great in straight heavy wind but the line tension is low enough that it is unnerving sometimes in turbulence. It always made it but there was no great confidence.
Dave's efforts have centered on getting the 75 to run like a PA61 on a 11" prop (i,e, very smooth), or a RO-Jett 61 on steroids. Of all the experiments the very first "2-port" 75 was the only one that I thought worked better. There's a lot of interesting things that he had to do to get it that way.
BTW, the 51 runs completely differently, very much like a VF, full-tilt-boogie even on the ground. It has far and away the highest static thrust, like an electric.
. I think this is why I still prefer the IC setup over the electric, It just suits my style of flying better.
You are aware that that effect can be easily replicated with electric, right? And infinitely tweakable. They don't all run on fixed-speed governors any more.
Brett