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Average RV6 Empty Weight?

Kooshball

Well Known Member
As soon as I began my shopping journey I discovered what may be a limiting factor to the RV6; the max aerobatic gross weight. I do have the advantage of only weighing 140lbs so my direct contribution is lower than most but I would still like to safely get dual aerobatic instruction in whatever plane I end up buying. Is there a good average empty weight established for the many 6s flying today so that I can estimate usefull aerobatic load?

Thx
 
When my RV-6 (O-320 fixed metal prop) first flew it weighed 1010 lbs. Nearly twenty years later it would still be close to that number since the old battery and starter have been replaced with lighter versions. The older the RV-6 the lighter is will most likely be--newer RV's tend to be loaded with more conveniences and heavier props.
 
....I would still like to safely get dual aerobatic instruction in whatever plane I end up buying.
Thx

If you consider the 1375# factory number as ?safe?, move on to another model. The 6 is effectively not a dual aerobatic airplane.
1000# empty weight is very light for a 6. #1100 is middle of the road, and I have seen some real porkers we?ll beyond that.

Now, don?t tell this to the fleet of 6 jockeys that have thousands of hours of dual aerobatic operations. So far, nobody has broken anything, but that doesn?t mean it can?t happen to any airplane.

You will never get a ?feel good?? number beyond the 1375#.
 
999# empty, with Sensenich metal FP prop and VFR panel.

Get some dual in something like a Citabria or even a Cessna Aerobat. Once you're comfortable with the manoeuvers, doing them two-up and staying well within the Utility range of +4.4/-2.2 is pretty easy... You don't need 4G for a loop unless you're competing, for example. Keep in mind the 1375# limit assumes +6/-4 limits, which allows for screw-ups. Don't screw up. :)
 
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Read the responses to your earlier thread carefully. Regardless of weights, if you are inexperienced with acro do *not* try to teach yourself in any 'clean' a/c like an RV, T-18, Mustang II, etc. And if you get instruction in one, make sure the instructor has experience in that type plane.

The 1st time I rolled my new-to-me T-18, I split-S-d out of it. If I hadn't had an instructor with me, I probably wouldn't be here now. And many years ago, a friend tried to teach himself acro in a M-II (well under acro gross) and killed himself by pulling the tail off.

All three of the types fly great, but they aren't intended to be trainers. They're so clean that they can overspeed very easily, which can lead to flutter, or to excessive Gs when trying to pull out of a down-line. The acro trainers tend to be somewhat G limited just like the RVs (ex: you shouldn't do 2-up acro in a Decathalon with full fuel), but they're harder to get to VNE due to drag.

Charlie
 
Read the responses to your earlier thread carefully. Regardless of weights, if you are inexperienced with acro do *not* try to teach yourself in any 'clean' a/c like an RV, T-18, Mustang II, etc. And if you get instruction in one, make sure the instructor has experience in that type plane.

The 1st time I rolled my new-to-me T-18, I split-S-d out of it. If I hadn't had an instructor with me, I probably wouldn't be here now. And many years ago, a friend tried to teach himself acro in a M-II (well under acro gross) and killed himself by pulling the tail off.

All three of the types fly great, but they aren't intended to be trainers. They're so clean that they can overspeed very easily, which can lead to flutter, or to excessive Gs when trying to pull out of a down-line. The acro trainers tend to be somewhat G limited just like the RVs (ex: you shouldn't do 2-up acro in a Decathalon with full fuel), but they're harder to get to VNE due to drag.

Charlie

I fully understand your point and the reasons behind it. There is no chance that try and teach myself acro in an RV or anything else...dual is the only way for me.some of my fondest aviation memories are from the back seat of an RV4 doing gentleman?s acro. I want to get to the point where I can enjoy and share that feeling safely.
 
I fully understand your point and the reasons behind it. There is no chance that try and teach myself acro in an RV or anything else...dual is the only way for me.some of my fondest aviation memories are from the back seat of an RV4 doing gentleman?s acro. I want to get to the point where I can enjoy and share that feeling safely.

I think you are on a good path to get that done.
 
I just happen to have an old copy of Dan C's database. (Bummer it hasn't been kept up.)

It contains data on 29 RV-6's with an average empty weight of 1075.6 lbs and 30 RV-6A's with an average empty weight of 1090.9 lbs.
 
I just happen to have an old copy of Dan C's database. (Bummer it hasn't been kept up.)

It contains data on 29 RV-6's with an average empty weight of 1075.6 lbs and 30 RV-6A's with an average empty weight of 1090.9 lbs.

Great information;thank you.
 
Weight a minute....

As soon as I began my shopping journey I discovered what may be a limiting factor to the RV6; the max aerobatic gross weight. I do have the advantage of only weighing 140lbs so my direct contribution is lower than most but I would still like to safely get dual aerobatic instruction in whatever plane I end up buying. Is there a good average empty weight established for the many 6s flying today so that I can estimate usefull aerobatic load?

Thx
My RV6X, a hybrid 4/6 combo weighs 945lbs empty with an 0-360J/Catto and very basic interior/panel. As mentioned above, a well built basic RV6 (really ALL RVs) should weigh around 1000lbs empty or less. It’s easy during building to rationalize weight addition however comma, what you don’t need is easier to identify. Most builders I see now have way more weight, complexity and $$$ in their airplanes than us Jurrasic builders 30 years ago. You can “lighten up” an existing RV with a few tips mentioned above. What can you live without in a Sport Aircraft? Quite a lot I assure you....

That said, Aerobatic gross weight is easy to monitor, keep your fuel under 1/2, fly solo and monitor your G onset. 3.5 Gs is really all you need to perform RV sport acro, which really is its forte. Take it from someone who pulled Gs for a living, if you want more, buy a Pitts, Extra, Giles etc...

My Dos Centavos
:)
V/R
Smokey
 
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