...continued from part I
IFR Platform
Everything I?ve read tries to steer RV owners away from using their planes while under IFR. I got my instrument rating in my Cardinal and am partial to it under those conditions. It is excellent in IMC. I?ve now flown about 45 minutes actual IMC in the RV4. I?ve not shot an approach with it. So far, I?ve found it to be a great IFR plane. I don?t have an autopilot in it yet, but it is stable and easy to control. The good performance allows me to stay on (or quickly get back to) assignment. I can slow it down in order to stay ahead of it. (This alone gets IFR pilots in trouble. They?re afraid to slow down in IMC, yet they probably need to.)
The RV4 doesn?t allow much room for charts, so I use a kneeboard and notes to keep me ahead. Charts are within reach at my right elbow. I would rather fly IMC in my Cardinal, but I?m confident in the RV4. I don?t agree that the RV planes are not good instrument platforms, but I understand why many might feel this way. I do think these conditions could quickly get too demanding in the soup for many pilots. But with proper training and currency, I think the RVs can be excellent IFR planes. However, if the flight called for anything more than getting through a layer, I would choose to fly my Cardinal.
Best in Category ? Cardinal
Second ? RV4
Aerobatics
I haven?t broken out the full bag of tricks in the RV4 yet. I have done rolls, wing-overs, stalls, spins and high G pull ups in it. I have not done full loops, Immelmans, half Cubans, hammerheads, avalanche, and such. Once I get some recurrent instruction and a parachute I?ll work on these.
The 4 is excellent at rolling and sky dancing. With music on there?s not much better in life. In fact, this is worth the price of admission for me.
The RV4 requires an extremely high nose up pitch to stall prior to entering a spin. Pro-spin controls must be fully held to get it to enter a spin. Once it spins, one can feel it ?bang around? for the first time. It wants to straighten out and is telling you to let it. It is not an uncomfortable feeling, just the plane communicating back that something is amiss. Multiple turns are comfortable and seem slower turning than in my Cardinal. When opposite rudder is applied the RV wants to continue the spin rather than pop out immediately. Not until back elevator is neutralized does the spin stop. By comparison, the Cardinal and the Decathlon will pop right out once top rudder is given. A secondary stall will occur right then if the yoke/stick isn?t moved forward, but the spin is over.
To be fair the RV also is quick to recover from the spin. In fact, just let go of everything and it will probably stop spinning, but I haven?t tried this. I?ve got more notes to take regarding spins, but so far I?m filled with confidence about spinning the RV4. However, speed will build quickly in this plane and true vertical attitude after a spin is probably not advisable. The Decathlon would be my choice for this.
Best in Category ? Extra 300 L
Second ? Super Decathlon
Third ? RV4
Landings
All I can say is, ?What a blast!? The RV approach is different than anything else I?ve done while landing. Downwind ? tight; Speed ? slow to 85 knots; Power ? idle; Flaps ? full; Base and Final ? blended into one grace full maneuver; Sight picture ? nose low; Line up ? happy feet; Let it happen ? don?t make it happen; Fly it on; Greaser!
It is an extremely easy to land airplane? once I let it teach me how it wanted to land. I love landings in the 4! I would rather land this plane than any other plane I?ve flown. That sounds like I?m anxious to get out ? I?m not. I just love landing the RV4. It lands as nicely as it takes off. I can feel it taking care of me. Is it alive?
Best in Category - RV4
Overall
Can you tell I love this machine? Let?s see. After a six hour XC trip I didn?t want to stop flying. I can?t say that about my Cardinal and it?s got a relatively huge cabin. Everyone I?ve given RV4 rides to loves it, and lets out at least one belly laugh during the flight. It looks good on the ramp and flies well. It?s fast and slow if I want it to be. It?s stable and responsive. It?s STOL and XC capable.
I loved all the planes I?ve flown - just differently. In my perfect world I would have a big, new, sealed, and painted hangar. In this hangar you would find a high wing representative in the form of a 1968 Cardinal with tuned exhaust. This would cover training and people transport, IFR and be my only trike gear plane. Obviously, there would be an Extra 300L for aerobatic duty. The bush plane would be a TD Maule with tundra tires because it can haul a lot and takeoff and land short. Front and center would be the RV4.
Since the world is not perfect and funds, unlike the imagination, are limited, the real picture will look slightly different. I?m sure however, the RV4 will remain front and center. The RV4 is the best mix of all the qualities and actually shares duty with all the planes I?ve mentioned. That?s a remarkable statement when one considers the list of planes it has pulled in front of!
Best in Category - RV4
IFR Platform
Everything I?ve read tries to steer RV owners away from using their planes while under IFR. I got my instrument rating in my Cardinal and am partial to it under those conditions. It is excellent in IMC. I?ve now flown about 45 minutes actual IMC in the RV4. I?ve not shot an approach with it. So far, I?ve found it to be a great IFR plane. I don?t have an autopilot in it yet, but it is stable and easy to control. The good performance allows me to stay on (or quickly get back to) assignment. I can slow it down in order to stay ahead of it. (This alone gets IFR pilots in trouble. They?re afraid to slow down in IMC, yet they probably need to.)
The RV4 doesn?t allow much room for charts, so I use a kneeboard and notes to keep me ahead. Charts are within reach at my right elbow. I would rather fly IMC in my Cardinal, but I?m confident in the RV4. I don?t agree that the RV planes are not good instrument platforms, but I understand why many might feel this way. I do think these conditions could quickly get too demanding in the soup for many pilots. But with proper training and currency, I think the RVs can be excellent IFR planes. However, if the flight called for anything more than getting through a layer, I would choose to fly my Cardinal.
Best in Category ? Cardinal
Second ? RV4
Aerobatics
I haven?t broken out the full bag of tricks in the RV4 yet. I have done rolls, wing-overs, stalls, spins and high G pull ups in it. I have not done full loops, Immelmans, half Cubans, hammerheads, avalanche, and such. Once I get some recurrent instruction and a parachute I?ll work on these.
The 4 is excellent at rolling and sky dancing. With music on there?s not much better in life. In fact, this is worth the price of admission for me.
The RV4 requires an extremely high nose up pitch to stall prior to entering a spin. Pro-spin controls must be fully held to get it to enter a spin. Once it spins, one can feel it ?bang around? for the first time. It wants to straighten out and is telling you to let it. It is not an uncomfortable feeling, just the plane communicating back that something is amiss. Multiple turns are comfortable and seem slower turning than in my Cardinal. When opposite rudder is applied the RV wants to continue the spin rather than pop out immediately. Not until back elevator is neutralized does the spin stop. By comparison, the Cardinal and the Decathlon will pop right out once top rudder is given. A secondary stall will occur right then if the yoke/stick isn?t moved forward, but the spin is over.
To be fair the RV also is quick to recover from the spin. In fact, just let go of everything and it will probably stop spinning, but I haven?t tried this. I?ve got more notes to take regarding spins, but so far I?m filled with confidence about spinning the RV4. However, speed will build quickly in this plane and true vertical attitude after a spin is probably not advisable. The Decathlon would be my choice for this.
Best in Category ? Extra 300 L
Second ? Super Decathlon
Third ? RV4
Landings
All I can say is, ?What a blast!? The RV approach is different than anything else I?ve done while landing. Downwind ? tight; Speed ? slow to 85 knots; Power ? idle; Flaps ? full; Base and Final ? blended into one grace full maneuver; Sight picture ? nose low; Line up ? happy feet; Let it happen ? don?t make it happen; Fly it on; Greaser!
It is an extremely easy to land airplane? once I let it teach me how it wanted to land. I love landings in the 4! I would rather land this plane than any other plane I?ve flown. That sounds like I?m anxious to get out ? I?m not. I just love landing the RV4. It lands as nicely as it takes off. I can feel it taking care of me. Is it alive?
Best in Category - RV4
Overall
Can you tell I love this machine? Let?s see. After a six hour XC trip I didn?t want to stop flying. I can?t say that about my Cardinal and it?s got a relatively huge cabin. Everyone I?ve given RV4 rides to loves it, and lets out at least one belly laugh during the flight. It looks good on the ramp and flies well. It?s fast and slow if I want it to be. It?s stable and responsive. It?s STOL and XC capable.
I loved all the planes I?ve flown - just differently. In my perfect world I would have a big, new, sealed, and painted hangar. In this hangar you would find a high wing representative in the form of a 1968 Cardinal with tuned exhaust. This would cover training and people transport, IFR and be my only trike gear plane. Obviously, there would be an Extra 300L for aerobatic duty. The bush plane would be a TD Maule with tundra tires because it can haul a lot and takeoff and land short. Front and center would be the RV4.
Since the world is not perfect and funds, unlike the imagination, are limited, the real picture will look slightly different. I?m sure however, the RV4 will remain front and center. The RV4 is the best mix of all the qualities and actually shares duty with all the planes I?ve mentioned. That?s a remarkable statement when one considers the list of planes it has pulled in front of!
Best in Category - RV4