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  #1  
Old 11-17-2012, 07:13 PM
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riseric riseric is offline
 
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Default Sufficient rudder with 180-200 HP

Discussing with a pilot friend, he was concerned about my plan of having a IO-360 with 180HP in an RV-8. He was even surprised that 200HP were easily installed in these models.

His concern was on the take-off roll, with a tail wheel, the torque, the slipstream and the assymetric prop thrust would overwhelm the rudder and have the airplane swerve left despite full right rudder.

Obviously having not flown my plane yet, or any other RV, I can't answer him. So RV pilots out there, how is it???

Is the rudder "strong" enough to overcome all those forces on take off??

Or do you start the take-off roll with partial power and wait to have some airspeed before going all out??

Thanks

Eric
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  #2  
Old 11-17-2012, 07:18 PM
David-aviator David-aviator is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by riseric View Post
Discussing with a pilot friend, he was concerned about my plan of having a IO-360 with 180HP in an RV-8. He was even surprised that 200HP were easily installed in these models.

His concern was on the take-off roll, with a tail wheel, the torque, the slipstream and the assymetric prop thrust would overwhelm the rudder and have the airplane swerve left despite full right rudder.

Obviously having not flown my plane yet, or any other RV, I can't answer him. So RV pilots out there, how is it???

Is the rudder "strong" enough to overcome all those forces on take off??

Or do you start the take-off roll with partial power and wait to have some airspeed before going all out??

Thanks

Eric
It is and then some.
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  #3  
Old 11-17-2012, 07:19 PM
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kevinh kevinh is offline
 
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There is plenty of rudder to take off at full power in my 180HP CS RV, and I flew a friends 200HP and also plenty of rudder. It is a non issue.
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  #4  
Old 11-17-2012, 07:43 PM
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Ironflight Ironflight is offline
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Yeah, I think you can go on to worry about other things - 180 or 200 HP, I have never heard anyone say that the airframe doesn't have enough rudder. I certainly have never had a problme with this in any RV. You might find out if your friend has flown one.
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  #5  
Old 11-17-2012, 08:17 PM
sailvi767 sailvi767 is offline
 
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I have a small tailed RV6 with around 200hp. Never felt that I needed more rudder. With the larger tail I can't see it ever being even a remote issue.
George
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  #6  
Old 11-17-2012, 08:34 PM
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skylor skylor is offline
 
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Default 200 HP rv8

I have a 200 horse RV 8. Plenty of rudder!

Skylor
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  #7  
Old 11-17-2012, 08:46 PM
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Toobuilder Toobuilder is offline
 
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Yep, 200 HP here and not even close to an issue. Takeoff roll needs nothing more than just a bit of pressure, let alone actual displacement of the pedals. It's not a Merlin on the nose, for cryin out loud!
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  #8  
Old 11-17-2012, 08:52 PM
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NickAir NickAir is offline
 
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Default RV rudder

RV's are not known as rudder planes as Citabria's are. In 26 years of being around RV's, I have never heard a case of not having sufficient rudder.
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  #9  
Old 11-17-2012, 10:05 PM
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Neal@F14 Neal@F14 is offline
 
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I've got about 100 hours in a 192hp RV-8 and it needs much less right rudder on takeoff than does my 160hp RV-6. I have to put in lots more right rudder in my RV-6 to keep the ball centered and keep from drifting left off the runway centerline during takeoff than I ever did in the RV-8. The RV-8's rudder has an ample surplus of control authority.
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Last edited by Neal@F14 : 11-17-2012 at 10:08 PM.
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  #10  
Old 11-17-2012, 11:08 PM
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cdmiller cdmiller is offline
 
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Default Not an issue!

Yep. What everyone says. It is not an issue. Ever.

Dan Miller
RV-8 190+ horsepower IO 360 M1; 1200+ hours
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