What's new
Van's Air Force

Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.

High Wing RV

dicel87

Well Known Member
Came across an interesting RV today while paging through experimentals on Barnstormers. Did a search here on VAF for something similar but didn't get any hits, so I thought I would throw this out.

It's a high wing RV :eek: I think it started life as an RV6 and according to the write up was modified with RV4 wings and RV8 tail.

Bet that took alot of extra time to build! I'm always amazed at the amount of inventiveness and ingenuity in the experimental arena.

If this link doesn't work, just do a search for "High Wing RV" in Barnstormers and it will pop up.

http://www.barnstormers.com/listing_images.php?id=266559

Scott
 
Phase I testing

WOW.... how would you like to do the phase one testing on that? Its one thing testing a proven airframe and only having to worry about weather the engine keeps running and staying cool. Its another being a total test pilot.
 
When I was building the wings of my -9 I kept wondering how they would work on a high wing, bush plane, type design.

Fast, yet short field landing capability is the reason why.

The guy must have just finished it as I seem to remember he was still working on it a few years ago. I wonder how it handles.
 
Not too atrocious

Certainly it is ugly, but it isn't near as bad as I would have thought. It appears that the tail and parts of the wings and gear are the main RV parts though.

One has to wonder why things like this happen. There are good designs in that category.
 
PS. Does someone have a picture of the first RV-6? The one designed and built by a customer? It really wasn't that nice looking, not like the Van's -6, -7, & -9.
 
The guy must have just finished it as I seem to remember he was still working on it a few years ago. I wonder how it handles.

This plane first flew around three years ago. I've haven't seen it since it's been painted. The builder previously built an RV4, and had an extra set of wings. He passed away last year.

As to how it handles, I don't know. But I did see the video of the first test flight, that went okay.

L.Adamson
 
What a plane.....looks like part BD4, Part tailwind, part hyperbipe, part RV and....welll, who know what else!

I love RV's, but if I want a short field plane that can haul a load and still do 150+, I'll take a Bearhawk, Sportsman, or something that truly does a good job at it and was designed for it. Lots of Bearhawk builders are also RV guys....I think we all need one of each! Someday I'd like to build a bearhawk - alas, too many projects, too little time and money! :)

Cheers,
Stein
 
not it's biggest fan...

but it's got quite a bit of custom fabrication!

can't say that i'd be real amped to see it in my hangar....

i really would like to see some performance specs though.....
 
Bad hips?

Maybe the guy had bad hips and couldn't climb in the cockpit so a door made more sense to him.

I think his stick modification even helps suggest this....nice touch too.
 
I like it.

Here in snowbank country, high-wing acft do have their virtues.

Wouldn't performance specs be interesting, though?
 
A bigger concern.....

.......for me, would be the condition of the spar where the struts attach:cool:

If it's weakened much it could be a real failure point with a wing folding. With Van's center section up there, it could have had a cantelevered wing.

Regards,
 
Excellent! Was going to post something about it being another Tailwind or Rebel derivative. But I'm starting to like the idea... I'd reduce the dihedral a little and go with the tandem seating.

As for "why", as an experimental aircraft builder, that's simple. Because we (still) can!
 
Its nice to see something original in the sea of EAA (Every Airplane Alike). Seems like the only thing builders are interested in anymore is a panel full of electronics.
 
Art Chard was the builder.

PS. Does someone have a picture of the first RV-6? The one designed and built by a customer? It really wasn't that nice looking, not like the Van's -6, -7, & -9.
That would be the one built by Art Chard. It wasn't real pretty, but it did get Van to thinking.
He used a Mustang II canopy.
Haven't seen a picture in a long time.
 
I always thought this was a high-wing RV.

Jack-RV7-Inverted.jpg
 
That would be the one built by Art Chard. It wasn't real pretty, but it did get Van to thinking.
He used a Mustang II canopy.
Haven't seen a picture in a long time.

My RV-6 was built by a gentleman in Michigan,with the assistance of Art Chard. It has a few interesting changes, such as extended baggage and 58 gallons of fuel.
The article on the "prototype" was very interesting.
 
Flew to Ogden with friend to see this. He flew it. Looked good, very twitchy, Nice inside and out. RV 4 wings, RV 8 tail. They did a great job of documentation of the 40 hour fly off. New parts through out. Has a 206 windscreen. Lots of room inside. the landing gear looked light.
ML
 
I think I met the builder

Many years ago I was at a small airport near Salt Lake City. I think it was Woodscross. Met a frustrated builder there. I think his name was Bob Barney. He started building an early RV8, finished the wings and then there was a holdup on shipping the fuselage. He got frustrated and wanted to continue building so he designed and built a high wing using the 8 wings, and empannage. I never saw the finished airplane

If anyone knows more about the story or if I got it wrong please let me know. I believe Bob passed shortly after finishing the project.

Steve
 
I saw it, or something very much like at the Arlington Fly-In a number of years ago. I didn't quite catch it for what it was, so didn't look all that closely. My Dad mentioned it to me a few days later.
 
A pilot based at Buckingham airport in Florida bought the plane in 2010. My friend ferried the plane from Ogden UT to FL. The new owner was also on board for the trip to FL.
I flew over from Vero Beach to visit my friend and hang out for a few hours. The plane was built in Bountiful UT. It appeared to be well built. However, neither pilot was pleased with it's flying characteristics.
I don't know of anything of the plane's current whereabouts or status.
 
I saw it.

I saw it, or something very much like at the Arlington Fly-In a number of years ago. I didn't quite catch it for what it was, so didn't look all that closely. My Dad mentioned it to me a few days later.

I saw it. It was being towed behind that big red Idaho potato truck you see on TV. 😂😂
 
Pictures of the high wing using RV parts

Hope this link works. Google+ so no guarantees...
This airplane has been discussed here on the forums (years ago), so some of these I got from what was posted here, some I got from Barnstormers. Thought it was interesting enough to save the photos.

https://goo.gl/photos/WgZy285Y6ovei3eTA

Okay, I just previewed the post and tested the link...it works for me... :D

Enjoy!
 
Thanks for the pics. I totally missed this when the thread was new.

I wonder why the builder decided to use struts. Must have not used the original center section.

Charlie
 
I did some investigative work on an RV/Tailwind hybrid. Even have a one-off fuselage CAD drawing still hanging above my desk.

The builder used struts because using an RV center section above your head would mean raising the wing another 4" to 6" to allow room for your head. No cantilever center section, no cantilever wing. Hence, the struts.

The biggest drawback to this design is the headroom problem.

The biggest advantages are:
1) that you can sit in the shade, but most advantageous as we all get older,
2) it's a heckuva lot easier to enter a door and sit down than it is to climb down into a cockpit.

You gotta wonder why Van's doesn't build something different, like this, instead of rehashing the RV-6 design over and over. ???
 
[...] You gotta wonder why Van's doesn't build something different, like this, instead of rehashing the RV-6 design over and over. ???

Agreed. I am sure that a high wing Vans would be ab big success. I mean, the most successful GA aircraft in history is a high wing....
 
yeah, although i can't think of a similar type of homebuilt (high wing aluminum) off the top of my head.

The Bearhawk, Patrol and BH LSA are all RV type wings (strutted) on rag/tube fuselages. They are considerably faster than super cubs because of the cleaner wing/strut design. Good looking airplanes too.
 
A little extra fuselage height could be useful. The BD-4 is strutless, and the stock fuselage is pretty close to a 2 place with lots of baggage. So it's do-able.

A -14 wing on a high wing fuselage could be the start of a serious bush plane with cross country speed. Anyone care to make a center section with a bit less dihedral?
 
A little extra fuselage height could be useful. The BD-4 is strutless, and the stock fuselage is pretty close to a 2 place with lots of baggage. So it's do-able.

A -14 wing on a high wing fuselage could be the start of a serious bush plane with cross country speed. Anyone care to make a center section with a bit less dihedral?

No, you want to use the -9's wing. The different airfoil will help it land slower.

I wonder if you could build it with external fittings for the wings and avoid the struts altogether?
 
fun to armchair design ain't it?

..how many guys have just gotten out their napkin sketchpads again? ( ok, some autoCad geeks pulled out tablets!).....and started to design,...again?
Most of us have been doing this since they were 7 or so, then kit-bashing old model airplanes into something new.
For the serious addict, there are now CAD modeling tools that will spit out lift numbers and drag coefficients almost instantly.....sometimes I wish I was 20 again and my ol' brain could learn these things!
for now, I'll just say I'm on board, as I am looking for a 'sport' bushplane. Seems most have 32 to 35' wingspans, so Bill's right......I'll have to stretch my -9a wing a bit....maybe extend the fowler flaps to 40+ degrees, droop the ailerons too!....hmmmmmmm gotta get another napkin!.........:) beef up the ribs, and skin it with OraTex fabric eh!?
http://betteraircraftfabric.com/
 
..how many guys have just gotten out their napkin sketchpads again? ( ok, some autoCad geeks pulled out tablets!).....and started to design,...again?
Most of us have been doing this since they were 7 or so, then kit-bashing old model airplanes into something new.
For the serious addict, there are now CAD modeling tools that will spit out lift numbers and drag coefficients almost instantly.....sometimes I wish I was 20 again and my ol' brain could learn these things!
for now, I'll just say I'm on board, as I am looking for a 'sport' bushplane. Seems most have 32 to 35' wingspans, so Bill's right......I'll have to stretch my -9a wing a bit....maybe extend the fowler flaps to 40+ degrees, droop the ailerons too!....hmmmmmmm gotta get another napkin!.........:) beef up the ribs, and skin it with OraTex fabric eh!?
http://betteraircraftfabric.com/


I really like that stuff I can't wait for the Feds to certify it so I can use it on my taylorcraft I'll take some 30lbs off the plane
 
Back
Top