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I can now officially wear my VAF cap!!!

ccsmith51

ccsmith51

Well Known Member
Today I picked up my 180 HP FP RV-4!! All I can say is "WOW!!!!

I made the 100 mile flight home with no issues, with my best bud Dan in formation. What an airplane! What visibility! What control response! An hour after I landed I walked in the door with the RV grin still from ear to ear, and my wife said I hadn't smiled that much since, well, we won't go there...:D

Here are some photos:

16m22w2.jpg


i2msxw.jpg


2vbk9d3.jpg


Let the fun begin!!!

Chris
 
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the white knight.......

has arrived. how about some more info about the acquisition. we are all very happy for you.
animated_monkey_3.gif
 
RV-4 info...

Purchased at ZPH, Zephyhills, FL. 725 on O-360-A1F6D, 50 STOH, Sterba prop, condition inspection 3/4/11, AW cert 2006, TTAF 50, standard 6-pack panel, SL-40, GTX320, rear stick, Jet-Glo paint June 2010, electric flaps, strobes, nav lights.

I need to do a current W&B, get a xpndr and pitot / static cert, install my GPS's, clean-up the panel, new seats, exterior color / graphics, general clean-up, dial in trim wedges, etc.

I look forward to many years of RV fun!!

Chris
 
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Congratulations!

It looks great Chris. I'm gonna miss our EAA chapter meeting this weekend but I hope to get to see it next month. Enjoy!
 
Very nice !

Nice plane Chris !
I had to do a doubletake on those pictures, as my recently completed -4 is the twin to yours. I am still in the all white "Casper" look, and I too have a Sterba prop. Even my 3" black N76WE is on the verticle same place as yours. I am only running a O-320 (160hp), but I would love to compare some speed/performance #s with you. I am about 20hrs into phase 1 and look forward to breaking out of my box soon. I plan to apply some vinyl graphics this spring, and will be using a local guy here in NC that has been doing a lot of work for the Red Bull race aircraft coming out of the MX factory in Wilksboro NC. Are you going with paint or vinyl if you apply trim colors? Enjoy your plane !

Bill E.
RV-4/N76WE
Phase 1
8A7/Advance NC
 
Thanks!!

I have not decided which way to go, paint or graphics. I'll most likely spend the limited funds I have right now on interior. I need better seats, I'd like to redo a lot of the interior work (panel, paint, sheet metal, etc.). I expect to do something on the exterior later this year.

I didn't know that MX is in North Wilkesboro. I have a summer home in Glendale Springs, on the Blue Ridge Parkway, about 20 miles north of North Wilkesboro. During the summer I get down that way a couple times a month. I'll have to drop in and take a look at some of the graphics guy's work.

Chris
 
ccsmith51 & fixnflyguy

This is a great thread. It is somewhat rare to find two airplanes quite similar with the main difference being engines. I would love to hear the empty weights and CG of both of your aircraft in order to possibly compare the 320 to the 360 and flight characteristics.

Could you possibly educate us on this subject? Is there much in your respective airplane avionics/ construction wise that would make a weight difference other than the engine?

Thanks
Mark
 
Comparison details of 76WE

Mark,
I am running a Lyc O-320H2AD, no vacuum system, lightweight starter.I have Vetterman 4 pipe exhaust, basic "steam guage" instruments. I have leather seats and some very lightweight aluminum interior panels to cover the cables and flap mechanism. I have elec flaps,ail and elev trim. Paint is PPG Desothane and I weighed in around 915 lbs.Just using handheld radio for now. So far, I am getting about 165 mph at 2400 rpm, and have been up around 195 at 2700 rpm. I havent done any accuracy checks of my airspeed, other than some formation with other guys and comparing speeds. Fuel burn is 7-8/hr, but I am just having fun in the box right now, and not crunching #s. Engine acceleration with the wood prop is really quick and I am quite pleased with the Sterba prop. havent had a backseater yet, so I cant elaborate on that.
Bill E.
N76WE
8A7,Advance NC
 
Comarisson detail of 509PE

I just purchased the plane, and still have to do a current W&B.

Engine is an O-360-A1FD. Lightweight starter, vacuum system (soon to be removed), basic steam gaugues. No interior panels, basic seats (soon to be replaced with better quality). Electric flaps. SL-40 radio, GTX320 transponder. Jet-Glo Matterhorn White paint. Sterba 70-80 prop.

W&B that came with the plane said 1,016, but that was done before paint. It seems high, but I have no idea the scales that were used. I will be doing a new W&B soon with calibrated scales from my EAA chapter.

At that time I will check the tach against an optical, and will also have the pitot / static system tested, the ASI tested, and the transponder certified. After that I should be able to provide valid speeds.

Only one flight so far. Flew about 110 sm. Climbed to 10,000'. Cruised for about 30 minutes at 2400 RPM, IAS was 150 mph. If I add 2% per 1,000' that comes to about 180 mph TAS. Those numbers are comparable to my other RV-4 friends, but again, not confirmed because ASI has not been checked for accuracy. Fuel burned on that flight was 6.4 gallons. Engine run time was 0.9 hours.

First take off was a surprise at amount of right rudder needed. A large trim tab will be fabricated this weekend!!

Chris
 
Light weight #s

When I weighed it, I had only the seat foam, no leather, using "bathroom" scales(accuracy marginal). I did every lightening hole possible, tapered my spars, and substituted Titanium fasteners for every bolt and screw on the airframe except the spar center section. Also used titanium hi-locks with lightweight collars for the bolts in the wing spar. Helps if you make your living in the heavy jet overhaul business. I have no avionics installed except an Xponder. I intend to do another W&B after I install radios/graphics ect.....may clarify some of the "lightness" !
Bill E.
N76WE
 
Hey Bill,

What is the diameter and pitch of your prop? Do you have a problem over-revving at WOT? Do you have a MP gauge? If so, can you tell me your MP at various RPM's and altitudes?

Thanks,

Chris
 
More data

Chris,
My Sterba is a 68/74 and I will likely over-rev at continuous WOT..been keeping things around 2700 max . I do have MP guage, but havent written any real data down yet. I have spent the majority of my first 20 hrs doing break in on the engine at the 2400-2700 range,and just now starting to do some formal speed/rpm analysis. Weather permitting, I should have some stats this weekend. MP guages arent much good on a FP platform(to me),but they can get you prepared for the transition to CS,so thats why I installed one. Your prop seems a bit better for cruise, while I think mine may be more climb oriented . Always have anticipated a prop,2 or 3 before finding the perfect one...but I like this combo for the time being.

Bill E.
 
Wow, fantastic info. Keep it coming.

Main reason for the question is while I am getting ready to sell my C-140 I am doing research on what equipment I would want on a RV-4. Rreading this forum I have come to the assumption that comparing the two, people believe a light 320 aircraft is more suited for responsiveness and fantastic control forces. While the 360 (with CS) is considered more of a speed deamon, than a responsive one.

I have googled a lot and have never found a weight associated to strictly the engine for 320's and 360's. I have just been curious.

I have always wondered if a 360 with FP would come in close to a 320 FP all other things being the same. Seems like you will never find two RV's similar enough to do the comparison. I would also want to burn auto fuel, so I don't think (based on my reading so far) the higher compression 200hp would be as well suited.

Thanks

Mark

P.S. I have not been on here all that long, but 915 is the lightest I have ever heard of. I was under the assumption 960 was a light airplane. Sounds like you did your work.
 
Fuel and Handling..

Here is a link to a long thread about using mogas on various engines:

http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=68032&highlight=auto+fuel

The specs I read says that Bill's O-320-H2AD is 160 HP and has a compression ratio of 9.0 to 1. The specs say that my O-360-A1F6D is 180 HP and has a compression ratio of 8.5 to 1.

I'm not sure at all about an O-320 RV-4 handling different than an O-360. Would that perception be because of weight difference? I've read that the 360 is about 40 pounds heavier than the O-320. But if you had an O-320 with a CP and an O-360 with a FP, the weights might be comparable?

I don't know other than weight, and W&B, what might cause handling differences between an O-320 and O-360 powered RV-4. But, I am new to the RV world, and I expect others with a lot more experience than I, will be able to comment with factual experience.

Chris
 
fixnflyguy said:
When I weighed it, I had only the seat foam, no leather, using "bathroom" scales(accuracy marginal). I did every lightening hole possible, tapered my spars, and substituted Titanium fasteners for every bolt and screw on the airframe except the spar center section. Also used titanium hi-locks with lightweight collars for the bolts in the wing spar. Helps if you make your living in the heavy jet overhaul business. I have no avionics installed except an Xponder. I intend to do another W&B after I install radios/graphics ect.....may clarify some of the "lightness" !
Bill E.
N76WE
Click to expand...

I will be interested to hear what the final W&B ends at. The graphics, seats, radios etc will add a bit, but if titanium comes in at 55% of the steel I suspect you have saved a lot there. I am still impressed. Have fun!
 
320 vs. 360

Mark,
In this 320 vs. 360 debate you are pondering, I would say go with what you want and your wallet can afford. Since this is the only RV that I have owned, and one of the few I have flown, I am far from being able to make comparison, and all the RV guys that I fly with have the same amount of FUN, no matter what engine they have. My engine decision was entirely $$$ based, as I "horse traded" for a run-out core H2AD (which some folks are leary of)that was removed from a 172. I re-built it myself,but I am aslo an AP/IA. I have less than 8K firewall forward with a fresh engine. I doubt Chris' 180 vs. mine handle much different(he climbs faster I am sure), and I have always been told RV-4s like a little more weight in the nose if your going to have passengers often.As far as MOGAS, I have run it for years in my T-craft, but doubt I will in the RV because my H2AD is a high compression engine, and I am still weighing in on the vapor lock issues of another RV owner I know has experienced. He switched back to Avgas and hasnt had any more problems. My advise is get building(or buying) and look forward to the fun Chris and I are having now !
Bill E.
 
This summer...

Hey Bill, from mid July through the end of October I plan to be based at Ashe County Airport, GEV. That's only 70 sm from Winston. We should meet up some where in between for some comparisons!! Chris
 
GEV

Sounds great Chris, I look forward to it.There are alot of places to fly to in the region. I just have to get another 20 hrs in, and I will go check the GEV airport out. The Phase 1 box is getting small !
 
Did my W&B today...

LM- 471
RM- 471
TW- 56

EW- 998
CG- 71.32

Included 7 qt's oil.

EAA chapter certified scales.

We checked the weights twice, came up with 471 on both wheels, both times. I've never seen a plane with equal weights on the mains, but then again, I've never weighed a tandem aircraft before, and maybe it's the norm...

Chris
 
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