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A Steer, A Tandem Bike, Mountain Bikes: What have you hauled in your RV-10?

Guy Prevost

Well Known Member
I saw another thread recently that talked about how great a bearhawk is at hauling things. I don't think many people realize how much you can get in an RV-10. It's got the largest, most comfortable rear seats of any piston single I've been in. That includes a several aircraft noted for their interior volume including a C-182, Trinidad, and Piper Lance. The Lance of course had more total volume, you just had to choose between legroom or shoulder room as a passenger.

Ultimately, the 10 is so useful, so fast, and still so much fun to fly I barely miss the 8. Yes, I do miss aerobatics, and the 8 is a much better formation platform. That said the 10 is surprisingly capable of formation at least up to the FFI limits.

I'll start: I've hauled my family of 4 and a week's camping gear including a huge tent to Oshkosh. I've carried the (frozen and edible parts) of what was once a 1200lb steer, our new tandem bike, and two full size mountain bikes. I'm curious to see what others have done.

One of the family camping trips:
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Two Mountain Bikes:
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An entire frozen beef: (Careful loading was important here for CG considerations).
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Full size tandem bike (with frame couplers). The RV only requires minimal disassembly of the tandem-nothing like packing it in travel cases.
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What have you done with your -10 lately? If this thread grows legs, it may become another useful resource for crafting new adventures.
 
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@5 animals!

On a rescue flight from Lawrenceville, Ga to Lakeland Florida, I hauled six crates of animals, including 6 cats and their Mama on plastic sheets with donated newspaper under that...about 6 years ago.

They were quiet as a church mouse...amazing. I'll try and find pictures.

Best,
 
I don’t have pix, but I have an unusual story.
I was planning on a trip to Utah to pick up my daughter and a friend. Another friend I know up there used to live on the Navajo Reservation and loves making fry bread with a particular flour, specifically Blue Bird brand that is popular and traditional on the reservation but unavailable where he now lives. Since Blue Bird is available down here, I decided to haul up a 50lb bag for my friend.
My wife, who knew nothing about my Blue Bird flour plans, enjoys using a Utah brand of flour, specifically Lehi Roller Mills, that isn’t available where we live. Unbeknownst to me, she arranged for my daughter to get a 50lb bag to bring back to Arizona.
So it turns out that without prior coordination, on a single round trip I carried on each leg, a 50lb bag of flour, each being of different brand and purpose.
Not exactly the type of mission you dream about when sanding or pounding rivets, but curiously satisfying in an inexplicable way.
 
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Like Guy, we make several family camping trips a year in the -10. Four people and gear for a week or two, no problem. Lots of great, great memories and accomplishments. No cows yet, but I've been scratching my head trying to figure out if I can fit an elk into the rear seats.

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Fuel Tank Freighter

A customer had damaged his fuel tank on his RV-10 during a relocation move.
It was dropped on the leading edge and punctured in two places.
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So after the repair,the fuel tank was returned to its home in the RV-10. The Fuel tank goes from the rear bulkhead to past my shoulders with the r/h front seat in the flying position.
(10hrs drive or 2.5hrs in the RV-10)

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Love this Aircraft !
 
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Love the room but always want more

More than once we have landed to camp and people are laughing at the stuff I am pulling out. I can tell you this, I can get more in the -10 than what we put in our Acura MDX (Volume not weight). With our kids little I can really pack the foot wells of the back seats with the heavier items.
When it was just my wife and I it was almost impossible to overload the plane with bikes, tents, coolers and chairs. With the kids I weigh everything before the flight and use the Foreflight W&B. Two weeks ago I replaced the two batteries with EarthX lithiums to decrease weight and shift the CG forward. I rarely fly without being loaded.
I still want Van's to make a 6 place turbine that is a scaled down PC-12. That is always my vote when that discussion comes up. :D

I once had 7 beating hearts in the -10 on one flight.
RaNae and I (2) took off from Salt Lake to Cedar City to pick up two Golden Retrievers with Sean and Hollie (2). RaNae was pregnant and had Anna on her lap who was around 14months old (2), and we ended up bringing one pup home(1).
 
Two people, Four full 7 1/2 gallon Kegs, a Dog and his birthday cake to a beer competition in Sisters Oregon.

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Rob Hickman
N402RH RV-10
 
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Baby in a car seat, toddler in a booster seat, 2 adults and this pile on the way home from OSH.

I've also carried a pair of Honda 2000i generators, a 48qt coolerfull of food, 6 person tent, and a bunch of other stuff, but I was solo, and didn't need to take full fuel.

These things are a flying family truckster! Or if you're flying with only two people, you can almost bring whatever you want.
 
Last August's eclipse in OR:
4 adults
4 person tent (with stand up room)
1 "privacy tent" for the
1 port-a-potie
4 sleeping bags, air mattresses
ice chest with food,
cameras, etc.
5 hours plus vfr reserves fuel on board at takeoff

I did have to pack the tent between the seats, forward, to be sure cg was okay, as the heavier passengers were also the non-pilots.
 
Two people, Four full 7 1/2 gallon Kegs, a Dog and his birthday cake to a beer competition in Sisters Oregon.

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Rob Hickman
N402RH RV-10

...And for the WIN!!! ...2 Romeo Hotel

Sister's is awesome, was just there two weekend's ago visiting friends.
 
Cholera Clinic Supplies

Surgical gloves, bed pans, saline solution, HRP's, gas powered pressure washer, solar powered water purifier.

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Hauler

Not only an RV-10 can haul kegs... This is in an RV-4. Also to Sisters BTW but for personal consumption.


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Steve
RV-4
Bearhawk 4PL
V35TC
 
You have room for at least two more pugs - these are truly amazing dogs. Best to you!

We are not sure if Truman likes flying or just hates being left at home. He has been flying in the RV-10 since he was 8 weeks old. We picked him up near Mt Shasta CA on the way home from Oshkosh 2016.

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He always wears ear protection
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When he is not flying or making beer he can be found at Advanced Flight Systems helping build Quick Panels
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This year for Christmas gifts we sent out cans of our award winning Flying Pug IPA to friends, customers and dealers
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Rob Hickman
N402RH RV-10
 
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Amelia

Amelia, aka Mia, (named for the aviatrix) wants to join that party! She loves riding in the car. We hope she loves flying too.
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CAUTION - Unnecessary thread creep post!

Two people, Four full 7 1/2 gallon Kegs, a Dog and his birthday cake to a beer competition in Sisters Oregon.

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Rob Hickman
N402RH RV-10

Not only an RV-10 can haul kegs... This is in an RV-4. Also to Sisters BTW but for personal consumption.


t0C3EDG.jpg


Steve
RV-4
Bearhawk 4PL
V35TC

Couple questions for you guys:
1. Are your kegs already carbed? If so do you release some pressure prior to flight?
2. Do you fly with CO2 and/or Beer gas bottles (depending on the style) and a picnic tap for the destination?

I'm just getting into home brewing (have an amber ale and a blonde ale in the fermenters as I type) so this is of great interest to me. I guessing it's not a issue, but being a brewing noob I figured I'd ask.
 
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We are not sure if Truman likes flying or just hates being left at home. He has been flying in the RV-10 since he was 8 weeks old. We picked him up near Mt Shasta CA on the way home from Oshkosh 2016.

27810837959_5fa2e548c8_b.jpg


This year for Christmas gifts we sent out cans of our award winning Flying Pug IPA to friends, customers and dealers
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Rob Hickman
N402RH RV-10

Those cans of 2015 origination ..2017 edition look familiar.....after being away overseas there was a undisclosed number if those in our cooler we enjoyed over Christmas....well done Rob...the quality of your beer has been translated over from the unmatched quality of AFS products. And as for Jennifer, you won't find a better person. Thanks for the gift Rob and Jen!!
 
Couple questions for you guys:

1. Are your kegs already carbed? If so do you release some pressure prior to flight?



Stainless steel kegs are rated for an internal pressure of at least 60 to 90 PSI without deformation, with a burst pressure of at least 300 PSI. I usually carb the kegs to 10-12 PSI on the ground. On a standard pressure day 29.92 in-hg equals 14.7 PSI. If you load a keg in your plane and climb to 10,000 FT the outside pressure drops from 14.6 psi to 10.1 psi so the keg would only see a pressure increase of 4.5 psi.



2. Do you fly with CO2 and/or Beer gas bottles (depending on the style) and a picnic tap for the destination?

Yes, I have a 5 lb CO2 tank and tap. The CO2 tank is usually around 450 psi and just like an O2 tank it gets Hydro Checked. The scary tank in my RV-10 is the 18 cu-ft Carbon Fiber Oxygen Tank that is pressurized to 2500 psi.

I'm just getting into home brewing (have an amber ale and a blonde ale in the fermenters as I type) so this is of great interest to me. I guessing it's not a issue, but being a brewing noob I figured I'd ask.

That's great, email me with any questions or advice.



Rob Hickman
N402RH RV-10
 
This year for Christmas gifts we sent out cans of our award winning Flying Pug IPA to friends, customers and dealers
Rob Hickman
N402RH RV-10

Helped Vic with his supply of Flying Pug last weekend. It was good!
 
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