RV9 and PA18 Specs and Performance

I fly a PA18-150 Supercub and am building a 9. Comparing specifications and performance between the two is very interesting. To make the numbers more accurate, I'd like to know if anyone has performance results using 150 hp engine on the RV9? Here's what I have from the PA18 POH and Van's numbers for the RV9-160.

Specifications PA18-150 verses RV-9
Span 35' 3" / 28' 0"
Length 22' 7" / 20' 5"
Height 6' 8" / 5' 10"
Wing Area 178 / 124
Empty Weight 930 / 1043
Gross Weight 1750 / 1750
Wing Loading 10.00 / 14.1
Power Loading 11.7 / 11.7
Engine 150 / 160
Prop Type Fixed / Fixed
Fuel Capacity 36 / 36
Baggage 50 / 100

Performance PA18-150 vs RV-9 (RV numbers w/ 160 hp)
Top Speed 130 / 196
Cruise at 75% hp 115 / 188
Stall Speed 43 / 45
Take-Off Dist @ Gross 200 / 400
Landing Dist @ Gross 350 / 450
Rate of Climb at Gross 960 / 1750
Ceiling at Gross 19000 / 18500
Range at 75% hp 460 / 740

RV Niner, if I read your little faces right you are a bit suspicious of the stall speed. I get about 37 knots for close to gross weight and flaps, 48 knots without flaps. About the take off distance, don't look at the number of feet before lifting off but how high are you at say 1000 feet from your start. My bet is that the 9 will be higher or at least the same height as the SC. Density alt has a pretty big effect on the 9's takeoff performance (my 9A was up to about 800-1000 feet at 10,000 density alt) but I assume the SC is not immune to the effects of density alt.

How do you like the SC? I've been thinking about building a plane similar to that as the next project. Maybe the Bearhawk or the Patrol.

N916K

Appreciate the information from your experience with the RV9. You are right, I was surprised to learn the stall speeds for the RV9 are almost identical to the Supercub. The Supercub is a terrific airplane and the wing has so much more area that I it didn't occur to me the stall speeds would be the same.

You also have a good point about take-off distance. The rate of climb is much better in the RV and getting up and over terrain and trees is often more critical than take-off distance in places where the RV will be used.

If the need is to land/take-off from a sandbar with moose antlers on the strut, the Supercub is the answer. The PA18 is a wonderful airplane and I really enjoy flying it. I saw a Legend at Sun and Fun this year. It is basically a wide PA11 Sport airplane and is extremely well made. Price is $70K. Something to consider as I grow older!

Is your RV9A engine 150hp Lycoming? How fast is cruise at say 2400 rpm, 5000 MSL?

RV Niner

I'll hang on to your SC for you

RV NINER

Here are some speeds that I posted a few weeks ago on the VAF forum. I have an O-320 D2G 160HP engine with a Senenich 70CM-79 prop. 150hp engine shouldn't be too much lower. About the sandbar landings, way cool photos on Supercub.org. I've tried rocky high desert landings in my RV, not so good. I didn't leave any parts behind, but I was lucky. The creasote plants like to scratch your wing tips.

4500 feet, 3 degrees C, 4 way GPS GS runs converted to TAS
1930 rpm 118 knots
2140 rpm 134 knots
2450 rpm 155 knots
2560 rpm 164 knots

Here are some figures I came up with a few weeks ago.
I use to have a 150 HP Pacer and I flew it round trip from Phoenix AZ to La Crosse WI. A few summers ago. My longest leg was 535 miles and I was in the air for 4 hrs 45 min. (I had an 8.75 gal aux tank). That’s 111.6 MPH average.
So all things considered and to make this easy to visualize lets just say the Pacer cruises at 120 MPH and the RV cruises at 180 MPH

3 hours X 180 MPH = 540 miles
4.5 hours X 120 MPH = 540 miles
6 hours X 180 MPH = 1080 miles
9 Hours X 120 MPH = 1080 miles

On my travels I kept seeing all these go fast RV’s and watching their performance in the back country of Idaho and Montana finally the light came on and the rest is history...

Also, I could never do much better than 8.75 GPH with the Pacer that put me at about 13 MPG.
The RV should get about 24 MPG and spend less time in the air getting to where you want to go so fuel savings are two fold.

I can't wait to get in the air again!