F4 Rocket EVO!!!!!

Talked with Mark the yesterday and we discussed the F4. We got around to the EVO and they might consider the F4 in a EVO wing as well. Now mind you A LOT of attention will have to paid to the C.G. as it will have changed. But talking with Mark, we might have some solutions that are doable without changing the center section location. Moving weight with light tailwheels, smaller elevator counterweights, heavier battery in the front, ELT locations, heavier starters, swinging a longer prop (78") on the IO-360, front baggage ...ect, it may be possible to stay in range. However, the EVO wing would have to quickbuilt due to complexity. The rest could be done in shop. This would make a really cool airplane to own and fly . It would be more expensive than an RV-8 but what the heck, airplanes don't fly on lift, they fly on money. CALL MARK, don't call me. He's the guy that has to build all this stuff. I'm just the guy that comes up with these crazy ideas. No seriously, If you are REALLY interested in it, please give Mark a call and let him know your interest. It will help with the development of the project. Hopefully, Mark won't get mad at me for posting this thread.Thanks, Aden Rich.

How little weight could you then put in the back?

Side by Side?

I'd love to see a side/side model plus this would help with the CG issue

A related question for the F4 and F1 would an heavy pilot move the CofG forward or back? Where is the pilot in relation to the CofG in the Rocket?

SBS

Walt,
look up High Performance Aircraft M1 speedcruiser. This is what you want. 260 hp RV-6 with EVO wings. THe CG for the Rocket is forward due to the heavy engine. You could put a lot of weight in the back (200lb pilot and 80lbs baggage and still not be out on aft CG. The EVO is different since the wing have different center of gravity/lift. It has and AFT CG problem even with a heavy engine. Since the F4 is going to only have 180hp up front, this would make it worse. SO we have to start placing heavier items up front to get the CG back in range. Or you would have to move the wing (which is not so easy). I would guess that you would have to shave about 5-7lbs off the tail, and move 20-30lbs out firewall forward to make it all work out. Getting weight out of the tail is the best way since it has the longest moment. Thanks, Aden.

Aden
I have hundreds of flight hours in sport wing rockets and two hundred or so in the EVO. The EVO does not have an aft c of g problem. The feel is different, the stick is lighter with aft load in the EVO than the sport wing but still delightful to fly. I regularly fly with passengers in the 225 to 240lb range with 25 or 30 lbs of baggage with no issues. Although technically both wings can carry even more aft load than that I do not like the feel of either wing when loaded much more than that. I prefer the feel of EVO solo vs the sport wing solo as I prefer the feel of the sport wing fully loaded vs the EVO fully loaded but the difference is subtle. The sport wing rocket is quite nose heavy solo but I have never heard that discribed as a problem, nor should the feel of the aft loaded EVO be described as a problem. It is just a different wing and as such has a different feel. Each wing has pros and cons. I describe the difference like this. The standard, or sport wing, is a fun plane that is also good for cross country work while the EVO is a great cross country plane that is also fun to fly.

F4 EVO

This was just a discussion Mark and I had about the F4. He stated that it would have a aft CG issue with a 180hp up front. Gleening from your thread, it still sounds like the EVO cannot handle more weight in the back as well as the sport wing can. We were just thinking up ways to make it all work out without having to move the center section around. This would make it simple in keeping the kits the same. Plus if someone would want to upgrade to a bigger engine, then they could with a little more ease. I talked with Doug Eves today and he's says you can belt out Rocket in pretty short order. Would you ever be interested in building a F4 Rocket?

I am no engineer, but why not lengthen the nose and place the pilot and engine further forward?? I still want an EVO . Then again with the price of crude maybe a F4 aint all a bad idea!

Not only could he!!

Mr Rich,

"I talked with Doug Eves today and he's says you can belt out Rocket in pretty short order. Would you ever be interested in building a F4 Rocket?"

Not only could he "belt out" one.... He could build one that few could rival. Tom is a "Craftsman of craftsmen"!!! Excellent builder and a gentleman!!!

Have a Great Day, Greg

Greg
Thank you for your kind comments! Aden, I am always interested in new projects. This winter and spring I am booked but I am starting to look for the winter projects for 08/09.

F4

Tom,
I've seen a picture of your Silver/Blue Rocket that you built and it was very nice. It would great if you could build a F4. I'm still trying to finish the regular EVO and it seems raising kids, chores, hunting, WORK all get in the way of making it out to the MEN CRISIS CENTER (aka shop) to buck some rivets. I know you could get it built a lot quicker than me.