A jump pilot idles the throttle for a long descent into Hawi on a warm, humid morning
The morning of August 28, 2024, flying jumpers out of Upolu Airport (PHUP) in Hawi, on the north tip of the Big Island, in a carbureted Cessna 182B.
Warm and humid — Kona reports 84°F and a dew point in the low 70s. Ten miles visibility, wind out of the east at 25 knots.
Jumpers gone. From 8,500 ft MSL you begin a spiraling descent to return: throttle to idle, 20° of flaps. A few seconds in you pull full carburetor heat and slowly bring up the mixture.
Coasting down through about 300 ft AGL, you confirm mixture full rich, prop full forward, carb heat full on. Now you need power to level off and land.
You reduced to idle for a long descent on a warm, humid morning. How do you manage the carburetor through the descent?