Conversion Tailwheel to Nosewheel?

Hello all!

A friend of mine bougth an RV-6 from a Pilot which only could fly 170h before he get very bad sick and past away.

But he is not familiar with taildragger at all and dont want to risk his new plane untill he learned how to handle it. So he want to convert it to an
RV-6A

Does anyone have done this in the past?

Is it possible?

How long does it took?

The plane is equiped with an O-320 and an Sensenich prop, it has the short enginemount (compared with an mount for an RV-7/O-320) so it has a tendency to be tailheavy, do you think it would be a good point to also go for long version mount or is the changing of the third wheel enough to bring the CG a bit in a better position?

Anyway, he will ask Vans also, but we are interested in your experience!

Thanks alot, regards

Dominik
very slow build RV-7A

Can do

Hi Dominik,
From what I've seen, it's a pretty time-consuming job since you have to remove the engine and motor mount, replace it with a new one and re-install the engine. The difficult part is to install the main landing gear attach structures in the fuselage. These share the wing spar attach bolts and I don't recall if the tricycle gear has more reinforcing structure in the fuselage sides or not. Further, he'll have to buy three new landing gears plus a nosewheel.

I'm of the opinion that he can easily master a tailwheel airplane for a lot less money than doing the conversion. Check with a tailwheel instructor and compare the costs and time first,
Kind regards,

pierre smith said:

Hi Dominik,
From what I've seen, it's a pretty time-consuming job since you have to remove the engine and motor mount, replace it with a new one and re-install the engine. The difficult part is to install the main landing gear attach structures in the fuselage. These share the wing spar attach bolts and I don't recall if the tricycle gear has more reinforcing structure in the fuselage sides or not. Further, he'll have to buy three new landing gears plus a nosewheel.

I'm of the opinion that he can easily master a tailwheel airplane for a lot less money than doing the conversion. Check with a tailwheel instructor and compare the costs and time first,
Kind regards,

Click to expand...

Good advice, he had plans to master a tailwheel plane so why not go ahead and give it a go.

If that doesn't work out it might be easier/better/more practical to simply sell the 6 and buy a 6A. Factor in the time and effort of conversion as well as the cost and it might work out that replacement is more logical than coversion.

John

Other modifications would also involve the cowl, which requires a slot and filling in pieces around the nose leg fitting; and you can also figure on modifying the air filter box to provide clearance for the nose leg.

And then there is the wheel pants installation, fairings; supporting of the aircraft fuselage while the wing/spar bolts are removed...

New brake lines, and the re-routing of them...

I'd just get the tailwheel instruction!

L.Adamson RV6A

Thanks f?r your answers!

I told him the same! but he never flew a tailwheel plane, so he really want to convert it!

It is one of only two RV-6 that are flying in switzerland, there is also an RV-4 and an RV-7 but that's all! To sell it again, no problem, but to buy a RV-6A in switzerland ... no chance!

Hasn't really anybody done this before? Convert from a Tailwheel to a Nosewheel?

Thanks, Dominik

swisseagle said:

Hasn't really anybody done this before? Convert from a Tailwheel to a Nosewheel?

Click to expand...

It's been done. Van's converted their 7 to a 7A. Look on their website, and you'll probably find pics of the before and after.

tail wheel training

I would suggest to your friend that for the cost and time in converting a RV-6 to a 6A would be better spent learing to fly the 6. Airline tickets to the states, motel and meals for 2 for 1 week and tail wheel training (5-6 hours) would alot cheaper and alot more fun.
Rich
RV-6 N721ET
200 hr.

Flying

Part of the fun for me in flying is the constant challenge of learning new stuff. Flying different aircraft is one of the really interesting challenges.

I haven't heard who bought Arnold's RV6 - Arnold was a great guy, and built a beautiful RV6 - but if he can fly an airplane, he can learn to fly a taildragger. It's not a big deal. Hundreds of thousands of people have done it. Your friend must be a better pilot than at least one of these people!

It's just a shame to see someone who will invest hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars to convert a perfectly good airplane from a TD to a ND, but not willing to spend far less money and time improving his own piloting skills.

Transform RV6 into RV6-A

Im new to the Forum. Probably this has been discussed already.

I want to buy a RV-6 and transform it into an RV-6A. Is that possible, I mean is a standard modication or a custom one ?
Are the parts for the transformation available from VANS ?

Thanks.
Maximo.

Yes, it is possible, and the parts are available from Van's...

It is "easier" to go from a -6A to a 6, but I understand that is not the direction you are headed.

You will need a new engine mount, main wheel weldments and gear legs, and of course...a nose wheel and leg.

You do get to remove the tail wheel...

thnks

Thanks Noelf:

Yes, from a 6 to a 6A.
Do I need to move the current main wheels back or forward ? Is the fusselage prepared for this new position ?

Thanks again.

noelf said:

It is "easier" to go from a -6A to a 6, but I understand that is not the direction you are headed.

You will need a new engine mount, main wheel weldments and gear legs, and of course...a nose wheel and leg.

You do get to remove the tail wheel...

Click to expand...

This is NOT a simple conversion for someone who hasn't built the airplane. Keep in mind that the wings spars and the main landing gear mounts all come together with the same bolts. You must remove the wing mount bolts to install the main landing gear mounts.
If you are not completely familiar with everything, I would STRONGLY suggest you get some help from someone who is.

I agree with everything Mel stated...

...you should go in with "eyes wide open" and get some help if you are not familiar with building...

That said, you will be removing the existing engine mount and the integrated main gear leg weldments. You will get to patch the holes in the fiberglass cowling where these gear leg used to exit the lower cowling.

Then you get to cut a new opening in the lower cowling for the new nose gear leg that slides into the integrated weldment on the new engine mount.

The tricycle main gear weldment is bolted to the main spar, and the gear legs and wheels will reside under the wings (new weight and balance will need to be calculated, verified, and followed). Holes will need to be cut into the lower cabin skin to accept the gear legs. Alignment of the gear legs and weldments will be your biggest obstacle. Van has you do this during the initial construction phase when the a/c is still upside down and attached to the fus jig. Wings, fus, and gear weldments (+ gear legs in alignment) all come together at this point, and once in proper alignment, the gear weldments get drilled using the assembled wings (spar) and the fus cross member as the drill guide. Also, for the initial build process, the bottom skin has not yet been riveted on. It will be quite difficult to drill the gear weldments with the bottom skin in place. Oh...the fuel tanks will need to be removed to complete some of this drilling, and there are large-ish doubler plates that need to be installed in the fus side skin / structure.

Good luck and let us know how this turns out.

And a couple more things...

A model change requires a new amended airworthiness certificate.
And don't forget a new phase I flight test program.

When I bought my project........

I thought about doing this (going from a 6 to a 6a) at the stage I was at all I had to do was place the fuse doublers and mount the main weldments. After pricing all the parts, looking at what I would have to do. I decided it would be much easier to "learn to fly in a tail dragger." Early on, I wondered about this decesion, but now wouldn't trade the experience of doing this. If I can do this, so can a drunk monkey. Can be done, but on an airplane far along, it won't be fun.

Good Luck in whatever you decide. It's your Hog and your corn.

thnks

Thanks to everybody for the interesting and detailed answers. I see that is not a simple modification of a weekend time, it is moderate and serious.
I will rethink if it is worth to do all the changes (I believed with some professional help for sure) or perhaps try to be a better pilot and once for all learn how to fly a taildragger.

Thanks again.

6 to 6A Really an easy conversion.

I converted "Rough Red" using a kit that had been put together by Jon Johanson's company for onselling. All the parts were sold to him by Vans and arrived neatly crated as a single unit.

The parts cost $5000 Australian (At the time this would have been about $2000 US) and the job took a total of 80 man hours with two people working on it.

The engine came out in half a day without taking the prop off. The original mount was left in place whilst the new leg mounts were attached to the main spar. (This avoided Jacking but gave a bizarre five wheeled configuration for a few hours)
The drilling and positioning of the new mounts was the most difficult job as the weldments come without any holes,
There are two reinforcing plates to go between the fire wall and where the mainspar goes through the fuselage. These are quite simple to rivet in.

I needed to replace the fuel line between the pump and the carburetter as there is an extra tube on the weldment wich interfered. I think, however. that this was academic rather than a total necessity.

Ballance remained about the same. Weight went up.

Comments:
After the conversion the plane did not appear to fly quite as well because the new engine mount put the thrust line in a different position (not all mounts are the same), This was addressed after flight testing. See my thread on this a few weeks ago. Also there is more hanging out in the slip stream (an extra nose wheel)

Landing with training wheels has made life a joy (I never knew if my conventional gear landings would be OK when the wind came up)
It is a pity that I couldn't master the taildragger to my satisfaction but I reasoned that I built the plane for pleasure both during construction and also for the joy of flying. Moving the wheels on "Rough Red" fulfilled (for me) both the joys of construction and also the joy of flying,

Would I do it again? ABSOLUTELY.

Ted

Good summary, Ted.
I have noticed that I spend quite a bit more time studying the wind since beginning to fly my -8. I have a healthy respect for just how quickly a good landing can turn into a bad one with the 'dragger. On the other hand, I have had a blast (and ruined a few pair of underwear) trying to master her. I have never been so humbled...

I'll buy the take offs

One of our local builders did it a few years ago and it seemed to go pretty easily, it was significant work but you gain the experience and satisfaction.

Plus.....
I am looking for a RV-6 engine mount and gear legs plus a tailwheel assembly to convert my Smyth Sidewinder to a Taildragger.
If and when you are ready to pull the trigger let me know and I will buy the parts you take off.
Regards
Rick