...originally posted in a Yahoo group by "Robert Mears" <bobmears50 at hotmail.com>
Someone wrote that the -4 was a bunch of flat sheets of aluminum and
a book of instructions (or something to that effect). Well, I beg to
differ about the construction of the -4. Nowadays, you will get pre-
punched everything for flaps, ailerons, wing skins with the -4. They
are the same as the -8. No pre-punched ribs and spars. Bottom and top
fuselage skins are formed but not pre-punched. One can simplify the
installation of the top wing skin by installing inspection plates in
the lower skin like those on the -8 skin. (I learned this a little
late).
The big advantage of the -8 from a construction standpoint is the
larger size of the cockpit area and the complete pre-punching of most
of the parts. It is more of an assembly project than a building
project. And the pre-assembled wings and fuselage make a big
difference in the time to finish project. I can guarantee that you
will be a much better sheet metal worker and decision maker if you
build the -4 than you will if you assemble the -8. By the way, I am
installing enlarged foot wells in the rear cockpit to overcome the
uncomfortable foot position for the rear passenger. And I just have
to find a way to install effective rear seat rudder pedals. I hate
the thought that there could be a pilot in the rear seat and a
disabled one in the front and the guy in the back having no way to
get the ?4 down in some survival condition. Building the -4 will take
more time, but, there is a great satisfaction in figuring some things
out yourself and doing more of the construction.
The instruction manual for the -4 leaves a lot to be desired, and in
some cases, the drawing do not always give a clear pictures of what
is to be done, and the bulkheads are "amateurish" compare to say the -
10. (Have you seen the construction book for the -10. It is massive
and complete.) Van makes up for a lot of the deficiencies in the -4
book by keeping knowledgable staff. I have called the tech guys at
Van's often and never failed to receive a satisfactory answer to my
questions even to the point of Steve emailing me pictures of his
plane showing his solution my questions.I am just finishing the
fuselage as I write this and will be ordering the finishing kit soon.
So, it all is in the way you want to approach project project.
Most anyone who has flown the -4 will tell you it is a delight to
fly, better roll rate than any of the other RVs and just a little
sport car of an airplane. Van's favorite is the -3. The -4 is as fast
with a 0-320 fixed prop as the -8 with a 180 hp 0-360 with a variable
pitch prop. It is more sensitive to cg changes which will cause you
to be a much better cg monitor than ever. I am looking forward to
completing mine and getting it in the air.
I do wish Van would take the time to improve the -4 kit and continue
to promote it as well as the -3. It should not take much effort to
improve the quality of the bulkheads and refine the "sheet metal" so
that there is less need for trimming. A mistake in that department
usually means ordering a new part. Even a pre-punched wing and
fuselage kit like the -8 without the pre-assembed option would be
great.
Seems everyone is into bigger and bigger rather like the SUV. More
economic use of fuel is going to drive the process in the other
direction before long.
Some of us fly for the pure joy of it and to get get cross country at
the same time. And some of us like the challenge of the building
process.So Van, do the -4 a favor and at least improve the drawings
to provide more detail and make the instructions more complete, and
then continue to promote the plane. There are still a lot of purest
out there.
Bob Mears
Someone wrote that the -4 was a bunch of flat sheets of aluminum and
a book of instructions (or something to that effect). Well, I beg to
differ about the construction of the -4. Nowadays, you will get pre-
punched everything for flaps, ailerons, wing skins with the -4. They
are the same as the -8. No pre-punched ribs and spars. Bottom and top
fuselage skins are formed but not pre-punched. One can simplify the
installation of the top wing skin by installing inspection plates in
the lower skin like those on the -8 skin. (I learned this a little
late).
The big advantage of the -8 from a construction standpoint is the
larger size of the cockpit area and the complete pre-punching of most
of the parts. It is more of an assembly project than a building
project. And the pre-assembled wings and fuselage make a big
difference in the time to finish project. I can guarantee that you
will be a much better sheet metal worker and decision maker if you
build the -4 than you will if you assemble the -8. By the way, I am
installing enlarged foot wells in the rear cockpit to overcome the
uncomfortable foot position for the rear passenger. And I just have
to find a way to install effective rear seat rudder pedals. I hate
the thought that there could be a pilot in the rear seat and a
disabled one in the front and the guy in the back having no way to
get the ?4 down in some survival condition. Building the -4 will take
more time, but, there is a great satisfaction in figuring some things
out yourself and doing more of the construction.
The instruction manual for the -4 leaves a lot to be desired, and in
some cases, the drawing do not always give a clear pictures of what
is to be done, and the bulkheads are "amateurish" compare to say the -
10. (Have you seen the construction book for the -10. It is massive
and complete.) Van makes up for a lot of the deficiencies in the -4
book by keeping knowledgable staff. I have called the tech guys at
Van's often and never failed to receive a satisfactory answer to my
questions even to the point of Steve emailing me pictures of his
plane showing his solution my questions.I am just finishing the
fuselage as I write this and will be ordering the finishing kit soon.
So, it all is in the way you want to approach project project.
Most anyone who has flown the -4 will tell you it is a delight to
fly, better roll rate than any of the other RVs and just a little
sport car of an airplane. Van's favorite is the -3. The -4 is as fast
with a 0-320 fixed prop as the -8 with a 180 hp 0-360 with a variable
pitch prop. It is more sensitive to cg changes which will cause you
to be a much better cg monitor than ever. I am looking forward to
completing mine and getting it in the air.
I do wish Van would take the time to improve the -4 kit and continue
to promote it as well as the -3. It should not take much effort to
improve the quality of the bulkheads and refine the "sheet metal" so
that there is less need for trimming. A mistake in that department
usually means ordering a new part. Even a pre-punched wing and
fuselage kit like the -8 without the pre-assembed option would be
great.
Seems everyone is into bigger and bigger rather like the SUV. More
economic use of fuel is going to drive the process in the other
direction before long.
Some of us fly for the pure joy of it and to get get cross country at
the same time. And some of us like the challenge of the building
process.So Van, do the -4 a favor and at least improve the drawings
to provide more detail and make the instructions more complete, and
then continue to promote the plane. There are still a lot of purest
out there.
Bob Mears
