Van's Air Force
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RV-4 Aerobatics
- Thread starter Aussie 7
- Start date
You might consider ordering the Van's demo CD. It shows an RV-4 doing loops and rolls and somewhat describes it's capabilities.
Some have said it out performs the 8 in aerobatics. You will probably get a wide range of opinions. I do like the looks of the cowling on the 4 with the cheeks better than the 8. I'm building the 8 for the cockpit room.
I believe Doug has stated he would build a 4 if Van's comes out with a pre-punched kit.
Some have said it out performs the 8 in aerobatics. You will probably get a wide range of opinions. I do like the looks of the cowling on the 4 with the cheeks better than the 8. I'm building the 8 for the cockpit room.
I believe Doug has stated he would build a 4 if Van's comes out with a pre-punched kit.
Having owned both the -8 nd -4, and currently back in a -4, I prefer and believe the -4 to be the better aerobat. And I agree with the previous post that the -4 looks better. From a functional standpoint, the -4 roll axis is in line with the pilots eyes, rather than the -8 where the roll axis is in line with the pilots chin or neck, depending on how high the cushions are piled for the pilot to make use of the 'bigger' cockpit. I don't even want discuss the side by side variety! Also, by virtue of the wider foot stance in the -4, aerobatics 'feel' more natural. Finally, how many -4s have broke up in flight from over zeolous pilot pull outs? None? EXACTLY! And anytime you are engaged in aerobatics in any RV, having a firm understanding of how quickly this aircraft accelerates in the down line and how maneuvering speed and the associated G load can build...beyond structural capability, the more important structural integrity is and the more important an overbuilt aircraft, ie the -4 vs. the -8, becomes.
From this pilots standpoint, in just plane (pun intended) fun/sport flying, the -4 can not be beat, except for maybe by the -3. Just keep an eye on airspeed and keep your G load at no more than 4....you can do EVERYTHING in the positive regime never pulling more than 4 Gs...3.5 is better!
Tailwinds,
Jj
From this pilots standpoint, in just plane (pun intended) fun/sport flying, the -4 can not be beat, except for maybe by the -3. Just keep an eye on airspeed and keep your G load at no more than 4....you can do EVERYTHING in the positive regime never pulling more than 4 Gs...3.5 is better!
Tailwinds,
Jj
garnt.piper
Well Known Member
I haven't been folowing all the threads too closely, so only just saw this one. I have been flying competition aerobatics in my RV-4 for just over 12 months now. It has an O-360-A1A with FP wood prop and Ellison TBI. Empty weight is about 950lb @18%MAC, I fly with 40litres of fuel or less, and I'm ~87kg. I have made no aerodynamic modifications. Just recently I flew Intermediate in the NSW State Championships and finished 5th. The RV-4 is capable of Intermediate level, but you need to stay ahead of the aircraft and keep the speed in check. It isn't the easiest aerobat about, due to the low drag, slow roll rate, stability and roll/yaw coupling. Flown smoothly you can get around the sequence with +5.6/-3.5g. I flick both ways, to the left is cleaner, but I don't flick above 80KIAS and half power. The spins are uneventful, you only need to do a 1.5 turn spin maximum usually. Rather than dive into the box at Mach 1 or better like most, I drive in level with about 20"MAP (~140kias) and start, then try and fly smooth and tight keeping the speed in control on the downlines. As soon as the nose goes below the horizon, the throttle is at idle, the only time I use full power is when vertical up, otherwise ~20" is enough. If speed gets above 150KIAS the roll rate diminishes and the ailerons get heavy, and you use too much of the box. 120-130kias is nice. The slow roll rate coupled with rapid speed increase means that rolls on downlines are the most hazardous figures. I always wear a parachute and started out above maintaining above 3000ft AGL, now I'm down to a 1500ft limit.
Get some good instruction before you start, which is hard as the -4 will be above aerobatic gross with two people on board. You need an instructor who knows RVs or at least is used to low drag aircarft, the Pitts is great, but completely different to an RV to aerobat. Practise wingovers, loops and barrel rolls (in that order) to get used to rate of speed buildup, and used to recovering from a nose-low attitude. Leave a constant power set and try and recover at the same speed and altitude as you began. If you 'dump the nose' and the speed gets away, set power idle, roll wings level and pull firmly to the horizon monitoring the 'g'. I'm ex-military and was used to clean, fast accelerating aircraft, the nearest thing to an RV-4 that I have flown otherwise was a Macchi MB326 trainer. If you aren't comfortable with flying your RV this way, start very cautiosly, or simply don't do it. I'm looking for a G-200 to compete in now, I don't want to break the RV, it's too good a general purpose sport aircraft. Structurally I have found no problems, my airfield is a bit rough and that seems to cause most of my maintenance hassles. An RV can romp through basic thru Sportsman sequences, using only half the fuel a Pitts will. If you want to compete seriously in aerobatics above that, then you should be building something else.
If anyone else out there is competing in an RV, I'd like to chat and swap notes. If anyone disagrees with what I am doing, let me know, and why.
see the Australian Intermediate Known at http://www.aerobaticsaustralia.com.au/dloads/Sequences/2005-06/2005 06 Intermediate FormC.pdf .
Get some good instruction before you start, which is hard as the -4 will be above aerobatic gross with two people on board. You need an instructor who knows RVs or at least is used to low drag aircarft, the Pitts is great, but completely different to an RV to aerobat. Practise wingovers, loops and barrel rolls (in that order) to get used to rate of speed buildup, and used to recovering from a nose-low attitude. Leave a constant power set and try and recover at the same speed and altitude as you began. If you 'dump the nose' and the speed gets away, set power idle, roll wings level and pull firmly to the horizon monitoring the 'g'. I'm ex-military and was used to clean, fast accelerating aircraft, the nearest thing to an RV-4 that I have flown otherwise was a Macchi MB326 trainer. If you aren't comfortable with flying your RV this way, start very cautiosly, or simply don't do it. I'm looking for a G-200 to compete in now, I don't want to break the RV, it's too good a general purpose sport aircraft. Structurally I have found no problems, my airfield is a bit rough and that seems to cause most of my maintenance hassles. An RV can romp through basic thru Sportsman sequences, using only half the fuel a Pitts will. If you want to compete seriously in aerobatics above that, then you should be building something else.
If anyone else out there is competing in an RV, I'd like to chat and swap notes. If anyone disagrees with what I am doing, let me know, and why.
see the Australian Intermediate Known at http://www.aerobaticsaustralia.com.au/dloads/Sequences/2005-06/2005 06 Intermediate FormC.pdf .
