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RV-10 Performance Numbers

rv6ejguy

Well Known Member
I am working on a new video comparing a bunch of 4 place airplanes and wanted to get some real numbers for the RV-10.

Looking for empty weight, gross, ROC at gross, Cruise speed at 8, 12 and 16-17,000 feet at 55-75% power as the case may be with fuel flows LOP.

If you have some stunning photos of the interior and exterior, I could use those too. PM me an I'll give you an email address to send these to.

I am most interested in those having 290hp+ injected engines with ported heads and 9+ CR pistons if possible as it seems a lot of guys are going that direction.

Thank you.
 
Cruise speed at 8, 12 and 16-17,000 feet at 55-75% power as the case may be with fuel flows LOP.

Its been a while since I was at 16-17k, but if I recall, you won’t be making 55-75% with a normally aspirated engine. I want to say it was more like 45% or so.
 
Its been a while since I was at 16-17k, but if I recall, you won’t be making 55-75% with a normally aspirated engine. I want to say it was more like 45% or so.

I was looking for cruise numbers at 8-17K, WOT, corresponding to 80% to roughly 50% power depending on RPM and ram air efficiency.

Power is affected by RPM, MAP, OAT and exhaust back pressure, plus lesser effects for humidity. Atmospheric pressure is roughly half SL pressure at 18,000 feet but it will be a lot colder and exhaust back pressure is half which makes quite a difference in clawing back some lost power output.

We see Les Kearney's -10 recover about an inch of MAP from the Show Planes RAM air system at speed.

I am looking more for actual speeds and FFs rather than what the Garmin displays for % power, which we know isn't so accurate.
 
Can I get a copy?

I’ve been searching for RV-10 IO-540 performance numbers in the mid to upper teens as well.

I’m trying to do a comparison with a T182T for getting over the rocks out here in the West. I did the math for a normally aspirated IO-540 using Van’s numbers at 8000 feet, but I keep hearing folks talk about 165kts at 14k and that doesn’t line up with the math.

Anyone have some real numbers at 16-18k? And at what power settings, WOT?

Thanks,
John
 
Ross,
Here’s my numbers, mostly from 2 adults plus bags flights:
Empty weight: 1607 lbs., gross weight 2700 lbs, ROC I’m not sure, as I haven’t done Vy climbs since phase one (at full power Vy forward vis isn’t great, plus you need to watch CHTs). I usually climb at 25”/2500 rpm and 110-120 kias. Climb rate varies with weight of course but even at gross is more than adequate. Stock 260 HP IO-540, Hartzell 2 blade CS prop, two mags.
9,000’ I typically run LOP at around 10 gal/hr (2200-2300 rpm, full throttle), to get a bit over 160 ktas. At 17,000’ (density altitude) it’s closer to 9 gal/hr at 2400-2500 rpm to get 160 ktas. Any higher or heavier and putting flaps in-trail gains a couple of knots over flaps full up in reflex.

John,
As above, around 14,000’ DA I usually run lean of peak around 9.5 gal/hr to get 160 ktas (full throttle, 2400-2500 RPM), mid-weights. I’m confident I could get 165 ktas but would have to lean for best power, with higher fuel flows. My distant memory is that the T-182 would do 175 ktas in the mid-teens. I have a lot of time in non-turbo 182s, and of course the -10 way out climbs the non-turbo. I have some time in turbo’d 182s, but only the older non-fuel injected version. Of course it’s turbo-normalized, so down low the -10 easily out-climbs it, having 10% more power and 10% less weight. By 14,000’, IIRC, the -10 at mid-weight (e.g., two adults plus bags) is still out-climbing the T-182 (same cabin load), but getting comparable. Curiously, the mid weight -10 will climb above FL200 while the T182 has a mandated ceiling of 20,000’.
 
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I was looking for cruise numbers at 8-17K, WOT, corresponding to 80% to roughly 50% power depending on RPM and ram air efficiency.

Power is affected by RPM, MAP, OAT and exhaust back pressure, plus lesser effects for humidity. Atmospheric pressure is roughly half SL pressure at 18,000 feet but it will be a lot colder and exhaust back pressure is half which makes quite a difference in clawing back some lost power output.

We see Les Kearney's -10 recover about an inch of MAP from the Show Planes RAM air system at speed.

I am looking more for actual speeds and FFs rather than what the Garmin displays for % power, which we know isn't so accurate.

I did a long flight at 14K. I was at gross and was getting 165 KTAS at around 9.2-9.3 GPH. I have std FI, with balanced injectors, and dual EI with variable advance. Otherwise, bone stock 540C4B5 with vetterman exhaust.

Larry
 
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A representative data point from todays flight from Pennsylvania to Utah. 170 kts, 10 gph, 10500 ft, DA 12400 ft. Stock setup.

BDA8383E-BFDF-4377-955D-5CF9E058137D.jpg
 
Bob, Larry, Andy,
Thank you for your numbers. Very impressive for a NA engine. The stock NA C182 dies around 12k. Even the T182T can’t do those numbers in the upper teens, only about 165kts at 18k. And nowhere close to those fuel flows.

John
 
-10 Performance

Standard D4A5 and Hartzell 2-blade package from Vans, 2 Slick Mags. Weight around 2600 in this example. I've since switched to dual EI and have gained about 3kts in the teens with the extra advance.

IMG_6582-L.jpg
 
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