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Video: FlightChops visits and flies at Van?s

greghughespdx

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He’s quite a popular YouTuber - especially among the younger aviation crowd. Steve Thorne, aka “FlightChops,” visited Van’s recently and flew a handful of the factory airplanes with flight instructor and factory trainer Mike Seager.

You can now watch the new episode where he flies and compares the RV-7A, -14 and -14A models. In a future episode he flies the -12iS and the -10.

Steve’s pretty fired up about the RV-14 and thinks he’d like to build one. We certainly hope he does!
 
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Stick Differences?

Great video!!

Question: What are the differences that were mentioned between the -14 & -14A sticks?

Were they simply different grips? Different grips and length sticks? What is standard now?
 
Chutes? We don't need no stinkin' chutes! ;)

(Does Van's Aircraft really want it posted on the 'net like that?)

I thought the same thing when I watched it last night. Another thing also stuck out to me, could the exhaust hanger be broken on the passenger side of the -7A? it looks like it's moving at 17:37, but it could just be a camera trick too.
 
The stick in the 14A seems to be 1 or maybe even more inches shorter than the one in the 14. Good timing for me as I am about to try and adjust my stick to better fit the Tosten grip.

Are you saying the Tosten grip only fit on the longer stick (-14) in the video? In other words, if I am building a -14A, would I have to get a longer stick (assuming it would work) to accommodate the Tosten grip?
 
Chutes? We don't need no stinkin' chutes! ;)

(Does Van's Aircraft really want it posted on the 'net like that?)

We don't need them here in UK. Never used them, too heavy :p

After all, it is a floppy loop and a wishy washy roll or two - hardly eye vessel bursting stuff.

Pleeeeeease - someone buy him a decent razor ;)
 
The stick in the 14A seems to be 1 or maybe even more inches shorter than the one in the 14. Good timing for me as I am about to try and adjust my stick to better fit the Tosten grip.

Are you saying the Tosten grip only fit on the longer stick (-14) in the video? In other words, if I am building a -14A, would I have to get a longer stick (assuming it would work) to accommodate the Tosten grip?

The way the Tosten grip fits on the top of the stick, it automatically makes the stick longer (quite a bit of the grip protrudes above the stick).

The 14A prototype is scheduled to get the longer sticks installed when the time allows.

It is not totally apparent from the video, but the reason the shorter stick length on the RV-7 (and 9) works well with those airplanes is because the control forces are a bit lower. The slightly longer sticks in the 14 and 14A make their (slightly higher) control forces somewhat comparable to the 7 with a shorter stick.
 
In the comments on tube he replied that crew don't need chutes.

I do not believe that is defendable in the USA.

I would pull and edit out.
 
Is it a result of the airframe vibration/camera's rolling shutter or is the right side exhaust pipe on the 7 loose? Look at the take off at 6:40.
 
The way the Tosten grip fits on the top of the stick, it automatically makes the stick longer (quite a bit of the grip protrudes above the stick).

The 14A prototype is scheduled to get the longer sticks installed when the time allows.

Does this mean that the 14A fuselage kits are now shipping with the longer sticks?

...Edit...

Is this the new shaft being sold by Tosten to make up for the early -14A kits that shipped with shorter sticks?

20gl74m.jpg
 
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Does this mean that the 14A fuselage kits are now shipping with the longer sticks?

...Edit...

Is this the new shaft being sold by Tosten to make up for the early -14A kits that shipped with shorter sticks?

The standard kit has included the longer sticks for quite a while.
It is my understanding that the stick that Tosten has available, fully wired up with their stick grip installed, is the stick that is currently supplied in the kit.
 
Latest episode is out

Noticed this evening that Flightchops posted his latest video with the 10 and 12 along with some small build snippets. Thought it was a nice little video. Looks like he is contemplating building a 14.

https://youtu.be/vHTuua9k-BI
 
Flight Chops is in full swing building his RV-14 and getting helpers/volunteers involved in getting it completed. Seems it's moving right along! Great team effort, again.
 
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