note: I don't have a ppl let alone an RV-8, so this is for entertainment purposes only
The owner of West Tennessee skydiving has a Pitts Special that he will drop skydivers from. The skydiver holds a T-handle grip, the plane rolls inverted, and the now dangling skydiver can let go at his/her lesiure. Being a skydiver myself, I have wondered if you could do that with an RV-8.
What you need to do?
1. Be able to fly with the canopy off or a modified canopy that is missing the back half
2. Mount a T-handle to a bar in front of the rear seat (I think there is such a bar?)
3. Be able to coordinate with the rear pax standing on their seat and holding the T-Handle while you roll the plane over.
of course you could not charge for this service so it would be for fun.
Are any of steps 1-3 impossible due to Vans restrictions or just on how the RV-8 is constructed?
Youtube video of Pitts drop
The owner of West Tennessee skydiving has a Pitts Special that he will drop skydivers from. The skydiver holds a T-handle grip, the plane rolls inverted, and the now dangling skydiver can let go at his/her lesiure. Being a skydiver myself, I have wondered if you could do that with an RV-8.
What you need to do?
1. Be able to fly with the canopy off or a modified canopy that is missing the back half
2. Mount a T-handle to a bar in front of the rear seat (I think there is such a bar?)
3. Be able to coordinate with the rear pax standing on their seat and holding the T-Handle while you roll the plane over.
of course you could not charge for this service so it would be for fun.
Are any of steps 1-3 impossible due to Vans restrictions or just on how the RV-8 is constructed?
Youtube video of Pitts drop