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RV-8 Rear Cockpit
My Dad and I are building an RV-8 QB (empenage complete,wings closed and tips finished, interior fuselage panels done) and were wondering if anyone has put a minimum cockpit (either glass or steam guage) in the backseat of their -8? Also, has anyone put a true dual throttle (throttle, mixture and prop control) in the back? We're both pilots and don't want to let the other have to much fun up front. Ha Ha! Any info or pics would be greatly appreciated.
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Sorry, no pics available. But consider a "large" portable GPS for your back seat autopilot, er, pilot. ;) Mount it on the mid-cabin steel tubing assy/front seat back support. I've mounted a GPS Pilot III and it worked nicely for map, heading and altitude display.
I'm sure with a little thought and some mods, you could put mix, prop & and throttle in the back. I just have a throttle. What you didn't mention was the rudder pedals and brakes. If you want full dual controls, you might want to think about what you want with pedals. Van's backseat pedals, are OK for flight but pretty minimal for anything like landing or taxiing. And they have no brake accomodations. |
I agree fully with Bri...uh BRYan. (We're a highly intelligent people.) I would keep any instrumentation to a bare minimum in the back as it will certainly get smacked around by knees, feet, etc during egress over the years. A GPS alone is fine. Let the front seater monitor the engine. Put the ASI high up in the corner of the panel so the GIB can see it and leave it at that.
The back seat rudder pedals are fine for flight, but hard to work on the ground. I found myself stomping and cursing at them mostly during my dual checkout back in '99. I was able to takeoff and land with them but it seems they could use more length...just maybe an inch more, so your feet are actually pressing on them instead of the 804 bulkhead over which they extend. I have both the pedal and throttle kits but will probably never install them. |
I installed the rear throttle and have only had one person use it. I don't let people in the back do take-offs or landing so they really don't have a reason to mess with it.
I also found that the rudder pedals for the rear are pretty much useless. The ailerons are all you need for coordinated turns so the rudder pedals aren't even needed. I also disliked the way they ate up space on the little side panels (where the fuel selector is). I stow charts and stuff there and the shafts of the rudder pedals just pissed me off. So they're gone. I do like the little idler arms that support the rudder cables where they join with the rudder pedal cables. I will leave them in. I don't have any instruments in the back right now. I plan on replacing my Lowrance airmap 100 with a 600c. I will then mount the 100 in the back seat for my wife (or whoever else may be back there). Karl |
I have a Garmin 196 that I will be mounting to the rear of the front seat on the roll bar. It has a screen with the 6 pack instruments that would provide the rear pilot with enough information. It's light and I also plan to mount it into the removable mount so I can grab it for a back up if necessary.
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I've always wondered why one of the EFIS manufacturers haven't put out a flat screen attachment to their systems which is just a display of what the front person see's running off the fronts air data computer etc. This way the back seater can cycle through PFD / ND / Engine page and keep right in the loop if desired. I would certainly look at buying something like this.
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I agree though - it would be a neat option! |
The idea went badly off track. What I originally suggested was literally a repeater screen. Thin form factor, no buttons or controls, not even an on-off switch; just a mirror of whatever was on the parent unit. The idea morphed into being controllable so that you could display another function.
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GRT in the back seat?
My RV-8 is wired for a EFIS unit in the back seat, along with the previously described rudder pedals and reat throttle control. I have an instrument panel cut and powder coated for attachment to the rear roll bar. The problem involves the depth of the GRT unit. If installed on a panel that lies flush on the rear roll bar, it interferes with the back of the front seat. I have several ideas to solve the problem, but due to other projects, I've not dedicated the money or time to this upgrade.
BTW-I did all of my transition training (six hours) from the back seat of a RV-8 with the rudder pedals. The first dozen landings at LZU were interesting, but after that, it was definitely nott the most difficult thing I have encountered. |
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