smokyray
Well Known Member
Guys,
I thought I would share a few lessons learned from my ongoing test bed "Kinda RV" The RVX. When my late friend Arvil and I came up with the idea to combine several projects to produce a low budget, stellar flier, I had no idea it would turn out like it did. The RV4 wings and tail mated to an RV6 fuselage with Rocket center section ended up being the best handling RV in all axis I've flown so far.
Recently I sold my 0-320 FWF and installed a 0-360J2A removed from an R22. The J2A is a straight mount 0-360 often overlooked by experimenters. In keeping with the"X mantra" of keeping costs down, all items were purchased used or paid for by selling unused items around the home. Never exceeding my $30K budget maximum was key. Accessories purchased (all from this site) were a Carb, B&C SD8 and mated to a Catto Gen2 prop. PMags were kindly donated by RVbill. My big goal was no weight gain. An 0360 powered RV6 sorta weighing less than 945 lbs and cost under $30K? Yup, it can be done.
Lessons learned:
1. Deviating from a proven design requires even more extra time, patience and fortitude.
2. Leap of faith, is.
3. A tape measure and Google can solve many problems.
4. Light airplanes fly better!
5. Build what you can afford.
6. Never, ever quit...
By the numbers:
Takeoff/Climb 300" 2250 RPM/ 2000 fpm
WOT 2800 RPM at 1500" MSL 183 KIAS (185 GS) big tires, caked mud and all.
Best of all it still has a light nose for nice acro handling and short field landings.
Just ticked over 500 hours, testing continues...
The RVX
V/R
Smokey
PS: dream big!
I thought I would share a few lessons learned from my ongoing test bed "Kinda RV" The RVX. When my late friend Arvil and I came up with the idea to combine several projects to produce a low budget, stellar flier, I had no idea it would turn out like it did. The RV4 wings and tail mated to an RV6 fuselage with Rocket center section ended up being the best handling RV in all axis I've flown so far.
Recently I sold my 0-320 FWF and installed a 0-360J2A removed from an R22. The J2A is a straight mount 0-360 often overlooked by experimenters. In keeping with the"X mantra" of keeping costs down, all items were purchased used or paid for by selling unused items around the home. Never exceeding my $30K budget maximum was key. Accessories purchased (all from this site) were a Carb, B&C SD8 and mated to a Catto Gen2 prop. PMags were kindly donated by RVbill. My big goal was no weight gain. An 0360 powered RV6 sorta weighing less than 945 lbs and cost under $30K? Yup, it can be done.
Lessons learned:
1. Deviating from a proven design requires even more extra time, patience and fortitude.
2. Leap of faith, is.
3. A tape measure and Google can solve many problems.
4. Light airplanes fly better!
5. Build what you can afford.
6. Never, ever quit...
By the numbers:
Takeoff/Climb 300" 2250 RPM/ 2000 fpm
WOT 2800 RPM at 1500" MSL 183 KIAS (185 GS) big tires, caked mud and all.
Best of all it still has a light nose for nice acro handling and short field landings.
Just ticked over 500 hours, testing continues...
The RVX
V/R
Smokey
PS: dream big!
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