Van's Air Force
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RV tip over (flip upside down)
- Thread starter oldsfolks
- Start date
fuel issue
Just to continue the thoughts on safety, the Sonex guy had an off field landing due to fuel starvation. What happened was the drain on the gascolator came open and drained all the fuel. The fuel flow sensor was after the gascolator in the fuel system, so it didn't indicate anything abnormal. I guess this is why we have fuel gages.
Just to continue the thoughts on safety, the Sonex guy had an off field landing due to fuel starvation. What happened was the drain on the gascolator came open and drained all the fuel. The fuel flow sensor was after the gascolator in the fuel system, so it didn't indicate anything abnormal. I guess this is why we have fuel gages.
From the MidAtl RV group...
I was forwarded a note from the Mid Atlantic RV group on Saturday about this - at the time, it was identified as a -7, said it flipped on landing, the pilot broke the canopy to get out, and then it caught fire. I guess we'll know more facts after the initial fog of confusion clears. Glad the pilot was OK, very sorry to hear about the loss of the aircraft...
I was forwarded a note from the Mid Atlantic RV group on Saturday about this - at the time, it was identified as a -7, said it flipped on landing, the pilot broke the canopy to get out, and then it caught fire. I guess we'll know more facts after the initial fog of confusion clears. Glad the pilot was OK, very sorry to hear about the loss of the aircraft...
Bob Martin
Well Known Member
I know Jerry
I know Jerry.
I don't like that people I know are making it into the RV "News" for unfortunate occurances. Luckly, there are others making "good" news to offset these.
I'm based at Louisa airport in central Va. Waynesboro is in our local fly-to area and my flying buddy/hangar mate and RV-6 owner, Larry, used to be based there and still is a glider tow pilot at Waynesboro, so we fly there occasionally for someplace to fly or I will fly over to visit Larry while he is towing gliders. Jerry lives there in a hangar home and flies his RV6A from there. Jerry and I have flown young eagles from there in the past.
Harrisonburg is a short flight up the Shenandoah Valley from Waynesboro.
I heard Jerry was landing at a friends/RV builder's grass strip, a pretty short strip too, thinking 1200 to 1300 foot. Jerry had flown in there before as he had been helping his friend work on his RV that is nearing completion.
Upon landing and during his roll out, Jerry estimated 30mph, he hit a small rock outcropping in the strip and the RV tipped over. Jerry was able to knock plexiglass out (slider) and exit the plane unhurt. Physically anyway. The guys there were attemping to right the plane when something caught fire in the engine compartment. They were able to extinguish the fire but not before doing more damage. This information is third hand. I thought it would help others from speculating too much. I have not seen the plane or spoken to Jerry himself yet.
Fly safe out there.
I know Jerry.
I don't like that people I know are making it into the RV "News" for unfortunate occurances. Luckly, there are others making "good" news to offset these.
I'm based at Louisa airport in central Va. Waynesboro is in our local fly-to area and my flying buddy/hangar mate and RV-6 owner, Larry, used to be based there and still is a glider tow pilot at Waynesboro, so we fly there occasionally for someplace to fly or I will fly over to visit Larry while he is towing gliders. Jerry lives there in a hangar home and flies his RV6A from there. Jerry and I have flown young eagles from there in the past.
Harrisonburg is a short flight up the Shenandoah Valley from Waynesboro.
I heard Jerry was landing at a friends/RV builder's grass strip, a pretty short strip too, thinking 1200 to 1300 foot. Jerry had flown in there before as he had been helping his friend work on his RV that is nearing completion.
Upon landing and during his roll out, Jerry estimated 30mph, he hit a small rock outcropping in the strip and the RV tipped over. Jerry was able to knock plexiglass out (slider) and exit the plane unhurt. Physically anyway. The guys there were attemping to right the plane when something caught fire in the engine compartment. They were able to extinguish the fire but not before doing more damage. This information is third hand. I thought it would help others from speculating too much. I have not seen the plane or spoken to Jerry himself yet.
Fly safe out there.
ChiefPilot
Well Known Member
I'm confused - if it's not the landing gear, then why bother with the grove wheel?
frankh
Well Known Member
I hate to bash too
But if I say something and someone avoids this happening to them then I have done a good thing.
I was at Arlington fly-in last year and i must say at least half of the A models I saw were way too rough on their NG's. The grass was rough and bumpy yet we had airplanes making 10 to 15 mph across this stuff with nosegears making like high speed pogo sticks with the front wheel rotating back and forth in a similar manner.
really peole, you have to treat these things like they are made of glass..I never let the NW touch on landing until it simply won't stay up anymore .
And if its too rough to taxi safely (like it was) i get and pull the darned thing..Its $100k of airplane and we're many miles from home..is it really worth gunning the throttle and taking the risk?
I do hope you get the 7a rebuilt.
Frank
But if I say something and someone avoids this happening to them then I have done a good thing.
I was at Arlington fly-in last year and i must say at least half of the A models I saw were way too rough on their NG's. The grass was rough and bumpy yet we had airplanes making 10 to 15 mph across this stuff with nosegears making like high speed pogo sticks with the front wheel rotating back and forth in a similar manner.
really peole, you have to treat these things like they are made of glass..I never let the NW touch on landing until it simply won't stay up anymore .
And if its too rough to taxi safely (like it was) i get and pull the darned thing..Its $100k of airplane and we're many miles from home..is it really worth gunning the throttle and taking the risk?
I do hope you get the 7a rebuilt.
Frank
I've read this "treat it like glass" statment over and over by multiple people through a lot of NG threads. I have to ask, does that seem like a reasonable design standard for nose gear?
Sam Buchanan
been here awhile
Naaaah, just be choosy about your grass strips and know how to land an airplane with proper technique and speed (there is no shame in a go-around!). Eliminating grass runways would mean you would miss the really, really cool fly-in at Moontown Airport this weekend. Moontown has seen at least twelve years of -A landings with no incidents with the resident and visiting RVers.
Ron, your plane has been into Moontown many times.
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frankh
Well Known Member
Grass strips are fine
Never had a problem landing on grass but the same mantra applies...You may not agree the NG is stout enough, but be that as it may it is what it is.
Proper technique is the key which means get it up ASAP (I can pretty much loft the NG from a standing start) and let it down last.
even landing flat on tarmac is not acceptable.
Frank
Never had a problem landing on grass but the same mantra applies...You may not agree the NG is stout enough, but be that as it may it is what it is.
Proper technique is the key which means get it up ASAP (I can pretty much loft the NG from a standing start) and let it down last.
even landing flat on tarmac is not acceptable.
Frank
L.Adamson
Well Known Member
My shimmy woes
I have a bit of a different situation here. My first 6A landing on the initial test flight, got the shimmy. I let the nose down too quick. From then on I made it a point to keep the nosewheel light. I control it throughout the takeoff and landing roll.
The next 98 hours went with no shimmy, but I was noticing that our runway was getting more bumpy, most likely due to heat. Since the 6A sit's nose high, it's closer to a flying attitude than the 7 or 9A's, which are at a flat attitude.
By keeping the nose very light on the landing, each bump would cause the nose to spring up. Then it happened; the nose came down and the front wheel went into an oscillation that felt like the tire had just gone flat. I think it's a side to side movement, rather than fore and aft, but not positive. This would not stop until the plane was near fully stopped. This same phenomenon has been described in previous threads.
I checked the tire ( no scrub marks) and added a bit of air. Went to another airport with a smooth runway for some touch and goes, and all was fine. But landing at this airport again, I got the same oscillating shimmy. And as before, it won't stop until nearly all the way stopped for the taxiway.
At that point, I took it up again, and decided to "plant" the nosewheel on the runway. And what I mean here, is to ride the stick, so that the nosewheel isn't allowed to pop upwards on the bumps. But I'm still keeping it as light as possible. This technique is now working fine. For smooth runways, I keep the nosewheel off, and bumpy ones get special attention. I've also set the fork nut at 26 lbs side force with the fish scale. 22 lbs. is the recommendation. However from previous postings on the subject, it seems that a bit more torque helps.
L.Adamson --- RV6A
I have a bit of a different situation here. My first 6A landing on the initial test flight, got the shimmy. I let the nose down too quick. From then on I made it a point to keep the nosewheel light. I control it throughout the takeoff and landing roll.
The next 98 hours went with no shimmy, but I was noticing that our runway was getting more bumpy, most likely due to heat. Since the 6A sit's nose high, it's closer to a flying attitude than the 7 or 9A's, which are at a flat attitude.
By keeping the nose very light on the landing, each bump would cause the nose to spring up. Then it happened; the nose came down and the front wheel went into an oscillation that felt like the tire had just gone flat. I think it's a side to side movement, rather than fore and aft, but not positive. This would not stop until the plane was near fully stopped. This same phenomenon has been described in previous threads.
I checked the tire ( no scrub marks) and added a bit of air. Went to another airport with a smooth runway for some touch and goes, and all was fine. But landing at this airport again, I got the same oscillating shimmy. And as before, it won't stop until nearly all the way stopped for the taxiway.
At that point, I took it up again, and decided to "plant" the nosewheel on the runway. And what I mean here, is to ride the stick, so that the nosewheel isn't allowed to pop upwards on the bumps. But I'm still keeping it as light as possible. This technique is now working fine. For smooth runways, I keep the nosewheel off, and bumpy ones get special attention. I've also set the fork nut at 26 lbs side force with the fish scale. 22 lbs. is the recommendation. However from previous postings on the subject, it seems that a bit more torque helps.
L.Adamson --- RV6A
bobair43
Member
testosterone ?
The testosterone in here makes me afraid to post. If you fly tail wheel you're a pilot if not you're a sissy. I have an rv7a finished 2005 wings tail slow build fuselage quick build. I guess Im half sissy plus im tricycle. But Ihave to thank Vans for for giving me alot of years of so much fun.
The testosterone in here makes me afraid to post. If you fly tail wheel you're a pilot if not you're a sissy. I have an rv7a finished 2005 wings tail slow build fuselage quick build. I guess Im half sissy plus im tricycle. But Ihave to thank Vans for for giving me alot of years of so much fun.
Brantel
Well Known Member
This thread is 14 years old. Their testosterone is likely a thing of the past! LOL
