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Seeking RV-4 Aerobatics Insight

As the title suggests, I'm looking to start doing aero in my RV-4. I have a fair amount of experience doing aerobatics...just not my aircraft type.

I've been watching YouTube and found some folks with some good videos, but would love to get in touch with someone that has a little more insight. I searched the forum but didn't see anything, unless I missed it.

Ideally, I'd like to get to a point where I can start competing (winning not a pre-rec lol).

Anyone gone down this route or have any suggestions?
 
TJ

Search under names for "Willyeyeball".

Lots of posts related to RV4 aerobatics.

Hope this helps you out.

Arnie

Note: also search google like this. RV4 aerobatics site: Vansairforce
This should keep you busy for a few days...
 
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Some info that may be useful.

An article by Van himself, "An Aerobatic Epistle":



Another article by Van himself on competition aerobatics, "IAC Aerobatics in RVs". It includes a good addendum on preparing your RV for aerobatics by Ron Schreck:



An article by Budd Davisson:



And note the "Aerobatics" section on Van's website:

 
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Awesome! Thanks for the information you two.

Alphabravocharlie - I had watched some of 'Willyeyeball's stuff on YouTube! I'll have to look through the forum for some of his stuff. The Google search was a great pro-tip. Thanks for that!

RV8JD - Wow! Great articles, thanks so much! I need to find an IAC chapter nearby and plug in with them. I've met some great folks at the EAA chapter. Maybe there is some overflow.
 
Sorry for hijacking OP's thread.
Any instructors who'll teach aerobatics specifically in an RV-4.
Central FL area would be great.
Any insight is greatly appreciated !


Awesome! Thanks for the information you two.

Alphabravocharlie - I had watched some of 'Willyeyeball's stuff on YouTube! I'll have to look through the forum for some of his stuff. The Google search was a great pro-tip. Thanks for that!

RV8JD - Wow! Great articles, thanks so much! I need to find an IAC chapter nearby and plug in with them. I've met some great folks at the EAA chapter. Maybe there is some overflow.
 
I think because of CG/weight constraints it will be hard to get instruction in a RV4. You might look for someone with a RV8.
 
Get with the IAC

Hey TJ,

Happy to hear that you are anxious to turn that RV-4 upside down and do some IAC competition. By now you have figured out that instruction in your airplane is difficult due to the weight and balance issues. Not to worry. If you are concerned about learning how to manage your airplane when it departs from normal flight you would do well to invest in training in a Decathlon or Extra. The basics of spin recovery and unusual attitude recovery are the same for most all aircraft. If you are already comfortable with the basics you can benefit from coaching by an instructor on the ground. Here's where your local IAC chapter comes in.

IAC 15
Kansas City, MO
President: John Ostmeyer
Contact: 913-481-8504 | [email protected]
Meetings: Every 3rd Friday 7:00 PM
Meeting Location: VAA Hangar
31905 W 175th Street
Gardner KS 66030
Website: iac15.org

John Ostmeyer is a friend of mine and one heck of an aerobatic pilot and aerobatic instructor. You will find that coaching from the ground is best as this is where judges evaluate your performance in competition and a good instructor can tell you exactly what you are doing wrong or right from that vantage point. The best news is that most IAC pilots provide instruction for free! Give John a call and then tell us all how it went. Good luck and welcome to the dark side.
 
RV4 aerobatics

Ron's comments are spot on. DO NOT recommend doing aerobatics in an RV4 with two people. It's a completely different flying aircraft with two people with the pitch forces extremely light which will get you in trouble. Many of us got into the competition by contacting a local IAC chapter and then attending a competition to see what's it all about. I got hooked after my first one mainly from the fantastic people and the drive to get better. As has been shown from past contests, the RV4 can compete and win against any aircraft at the sportsman and primary categories.
Good luck, and have fun safely,:D
Bill McLean
RV-4 slider
lower Alabama
 
Ron's comments are spot on. DO NOT recommend doing aerobatics in an RV4 with two people. It's a completely different flying aircraft with two people with the pitch forces extremely light which will get you in trouble. Many of us got into the competition by contacting a local IAC chapter and then attending a competition to see what's it all about. I got hooked after my first one mainly from the fantastic people and the drive to get better. As has been shown from past contests, the RV4 can compete and win against any aircraft at the sportsman and primary categories.
Good luck, and have fun safely,:D
Bill McLean
RV-4 slider
lower Alabama

What he said. And it can be competitive in the Intermediate category if you're good enough. That's when it gets really challenging.
 
maybe it's the pilot

Ron could get competitive at the Intermediate level in his RV-8. I could not.
Bill McLean
RV-4 slider
lower Alabama:confused:
 
Ron could get competitive at the Intermediate level in his RV-8. I could not.
Bill McLean
RV-4 slider
lower Alabama:confused:

Anyone that can consistently nail an inverted spin like you do should be able to master any Intermediate maneuver in the book. You have won enough Sportsman first place trophies. Move up Bill!

If there is anyone alive that can tell you what a RV-4 can do it's Bill McLean. He's too modest to toot his own horn so I'll fill you in. Sit down, Bill. And shut up.

I knew Bill was good way back in 2015 when we were both competing at the Sportsman level. In 2016 I wanted to go the the National Aerobatic Championships and urged Bill to come along as I felt he was more than capable of putting on a good show. Bill never flew from a towered airport and has trouble hearing so the thought of dealing with ATC during the trip from Alabama to Texas and then flying all week at a towered field made him reluctant to commit. I told him that I would be with him the whole way and would hold his hand if I had to. The prospect of being the two oldest competitors at Nationals was enticing and I had special T-shirts made for the event. (OFFA: Old Farts Flying Aerobatics) Did he do well? Check out the pictures. That's IAC President Mike Heuer handing him some bling and that's US National Unlimited Champion Debby Rihn-Harvey sharing the podium with Bill.

There is not a finer gentleman and accomplished RV aerobatic pilot than Bill McLean at any age and by my count he must be an octogenarian by now. I am honored to call him my friend.





 
Couldn't agree more about Bill

I agree completely! On top of all that has been said Bill takes the time to freely share anything he has learned ! He has offered invaluable REAL WORLD advise and I have been the great benefactor of it ! I recommend highly conversing ( electronically ) with him and you can absolutely rely on anything he says. My thanks to him always. Cheers. Stew
 
I flew with Bruce in his RV-8. Super knowledgeable and competent instructor. Would 100% refer him to anyone looking to get some RV-8 time.

@Ronschreck - My thoughts exactly. I did a fair amount of spin training when I was flying the T-6 but that's been about a decade. I'll probably get a rehack on that just to get the feel down again.

@WillyEyeBall - I think this is what is most appealing to me. It seems a little more performance focused and I feel like knowing the entire envelope of the aircraft will not only be fun and challenging but will make me a better RV pilot. I might have to link up with you when you have the time to chat, Bill. If that would be okay with you. I'd love to have some interaction with someone that has real experience with the RV-4.

Thank you for all the insight guys. If you ever end up in the midwest let me know!
 
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The recommendation to not do RV-4 acro with pax is a good one. Those who are plenty experienced with aerobatics, RVs, how differently the RV-4 handles at aft CG, and all the legal and practical issues related to aerobatic flight don't really need advice from the internet on this subject. They can manage. This recommendation is for people who may have not yet gained sufficient experience to have mastered all the issues. It's meant to keep people from getting killed. A video of an RV-4 doing acro 2-up doesn't change this, nor does it necessarily mean the video shows a dangerous act.
 

I suppose you can always find someone to counter any sage advice. I once told my young son to never pee into the wind and he proudly did so without getting his shoes wet.

I will concede that the video shows two pilots doing aerobatics quite safely in an RV-4 but I do notice that the rear seat passenger is not a large man and he is not wearing a parachute. The maneuvers demonstrated are rather benign as well. To be legal in the USA both pilots would require parachutes and sufficient fuel for VFR reserves would be required. Instruction in spins, hammerhead turns and departure recovery would certainly tease the edges of the flight envelope at high gross weight and extreme aft CG, leaving little room for error. Can it be done? Sure, but then there's that unexpected gust of wind and you end up with pee on your shoes!
 
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