1800 RV6A?

[Gyrodoug]

We just took ownership of the RV6A. We had to re-install the wings and made minor nose gear mods etc. Can we re-enter Phase I flight testing and then designate it as 1800? Or, is this ONLY something the builder can do?

I appreciate your feedback.

[gmohr]

We bought our 6A knowing that the gross weight was listed at 1750lbs but have
never had that much in it. We normally fly ours fully loaded for cross country
at 1600lbs and for local flyins much much less.. The weight is set by the
builder but as one of our locals likes to say, "it's experimental, you can do what
you like".

[koupster]

1100 - empty weight +
228 - 38 gal fuel +
272 - 2 humans (136 lb average) +
0 - baggage =
1600 - gross weight

Cheers, David
RV-6A KBTF

[Mel]

Originally Posted by koupster

1100 - empty weight +
228 - 38 gal fuel +
272 - 2 humans (136 lb average) +
0 - baggage =
1600 - gross weight
Cheers, David
RV-6A KBTF

Don't know about Utah, but you won't find many 136 lb. average humans in Texas.

[titanhank]

More typical texas loading.

1105 lbs empty
500 lbs pax (2-250lb bubbas)
144 lbsfuel (24 gals)

1749 lbs takeoff weight.
I trade gas for pax weight and with my cg, can carry pax or bags, but not both.
Rarely fly it there, but it will still climb 1200ft/min and cruise 170ktas on my special built 320.

[koupster]

Originally Posted by Mel

Don't know about Utah, but you won't find many 136 lb. average humans in Texas.

Not in Utah either. So I won't be flying "fully loaded for cross country at 1600 lbs". I'm glad my builder set a higher gross weight that I can use with discretion. I'm at the aerobatic weight limit solo with no fuel (my empty weight is above 1100 lbs).

Cheers, David
RV-6A KBTF

[NewbRVator]

Van’s fly better lighter. Van’s fly better lighter. Now write it down, go to a mirror, and say “Van’s fly better lighter.” Say it over and over again.
Ha!!!

I had a doggie that liked fly but he was too **** fat. Had to put him on a diet or no flying for him. Worked out okay saved the money from less dog food and bought a better tach for the plane.

Had a gal that was too um cough heavyset. Considered suggesting diet modification. That didn’t go over well and well I ended up sleeping in the hangar.

Now get back to the mirror and repeat “Van’s fly better lighter.”

[texdog]

We bought our RV6A with a 1850 lb. gross weight. Empty is 1087. Nose wheel weight was 258 when it was weighed. We don't fly it at gross most of the time, but on a trip to Alaska with survival gear and a long way between fuel stops it was nice to be able to load it up. It does fly different and we had to put bags on the floor next to the seats to be in cg. The airplane is very light on the nose with a 0-360 and a constant speed prop. I can keep the nose off the runway untill very slow and had to do that on some grass/gravel strips. Climb is best at 130 kts. when heavy. I know that turbulence can be an issue and slowing down is best to keep g loading low. We don't cruise in the yellow ever, its always to rough in the southwest and mountains areas where we fly most of the time. I have climbed to 12,500 at gross weight less fuel burn and the last 1000 ft. was at 300 FPM, at -8 degrees C.

[NewbRVator]

All kidding aside my 6A is rated at 1850 although I usually fly light but do fly loaded to the gills from time to time and other than the speed profile changing it’s not a problem.

Also I thought Va was calculated at max weight and that it decreased with LESS loading. If that’s the case isn’t it safer to fly in gusty conditions at a higher load factor?

Understandably if you slow down it’s yet safer but from a spar perspective isn’t heavier better in gusty conditions? I am not an engineer so it’s a question not a rhetorical musing.

As far as landing I am pretty sure technique is the key to a long healthy life of the landing gear. She’s got spindly little legs.

Thanks

[ChiefPilot]

Originally Posted by NewbRVator

Also I thought Va was calculated at max weight and that it decreased with LESS loading. If that?s the case isn?t it safer to fly in gusty conditions at a higher load factor?

Manuvering speed (Va) is nothing but a stall speed. It's just a stall speed at a load factor other than 1.0 - in this case, it's the stall speed for the design load factor of 4.4 at max gross of 1600 (RV-6) or 1650 (RV-6A). Presumably there is a lower load factor for increased gross weight, and if so Va should be calculated for that speed.

It's not the only speed that needs to be adjusted by the builder when choosing a different gross weight, BTW. Vc ("the yellow band") also needs to be adjusted to account for the weight change as well.