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RV-4 aerobatics on a budget

Saber25

Saber25

Well Known Member
This video was taken during a practice airshow routine we perform at small hometown airfields. It is meant to demonstrate the capabilities of a relatively inexpensive homebuilt completed in 1989 and minimally equipped, 160 HP, FP non-inverted system. Completion cost was $23500. It is not an IAC quality performance since the audience does not judge, but they are happy to see an airplane perform with smoke.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GojqK3H8AiQ&feature=youtu.be
 
great flying

Very nice choreographed routine and shows the capabilities of the RVs. If you added inverted oil and fuel systems, you definitely would be an IAC competitor in the Sportsman category.
Cheers,
Bill McLean
RV-4 slider
Lower Alabama
 
nice

I watched this from the ground and it was outstanding. Hans is the biggest proponent of the -4 I know.

He will be performing at the Rocky Mountain Airshow this weekend with the Rocky Mountain Renegades. You can watch him on Live Airshow TV webstreaming broadcast. Not sure of the times yet but we go at 6pm Friday and 1200 Sat and Sun.

www.rmrairshows.com

Good Job Hans

Chris M.
Twister
 
Thanks for the nice comments by all, I might add the enjoyment I've had with this RV4 could not have been without the design, engineering and successful marketing by Mr Van, Richard VanGrunsven the designer of the most prolific line of homebuilts.

Regards,

Hans
 
That looked great... No reason the same routine couldn't be flown in the -6, too... Heck, any of the aerobatic RV's for that matter.
 
WillyEyeBall said:
If you added inverted oil and fuel systems, you definitely would be an IAC competitor in the Sportsman category.
Click to expand...

Bill, or even if he didn't add! :) If you don't mind watching you oil level and maybe wiping the belly off, there's not enough negative G duration in Sportsman to need inverted systems. The relatively fast roll rate of the RV helps with that.
 
Six could do it.

Snowflake said:
That looked great... No reason the same routine couldn't be flown in the -6, too... Heck, any of the aerobatic RV's for that matter.
Click to expand...

Could the six exit the spin in such a precise controllled manner?
 
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Hans' point

I think Hans' point is that you don't need inverted and C/S to make the airplane perform. Those two items add a great deal of expense and I think Hans and I are on the same page..... the RV-4 is best without all of the fancy electronics and expensive hardware. The idea when we built our airplanes was to have a great airplane that didn't cost an arm and a leg.

just opinion..

Chris M
 
gongreg said:
Could the six exit the spin in such a precise controllled manner?
Click to expand...

Yes. Stopping a spin on heading is not hard and only takes a little practice in getting a feel for the lead angle and for consistently applying the recovery inputs so that the lead angle stops the spin dead nuts on heading each time. Not hard. Again, just takes a little practice in type. This pilot put on a display a little better than your average occasional mess around RV pilot, that's all. Decent flying. Some things to tighten up, especially the hammerhead. Nice to see. Lots of you could do exactly the same if you had the interest in learning some bare basic fundamentals, and practicing a little bit (less needed than you may think).
 
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I am not saying that trying to learn acro by youtube is a safe and good thing to do ! But it sure would have been interesting to have a voice over ..as each maneuver is done .. explaining what is important .. the speeds .. the aircraft attitude etc... what can go wrong etc... with the usual disclaimer that "do not try this at home as it will kill you" ... I would like to get a better understanding of the handling requirements, and a voice over would do just that ...
 
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