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Show us a pic of your RV-4 !!!

Rob 'Smokey' Ray

Taken Dec 17th, 2004 (100yr anniv. of powered flight)

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RV-4 Picture

Thought I would see if I could insert a picture. If it works, this is my RV-4. I enjoyed the building phase so much, I stretched the construction time over 15 years, ha. First flight was April 2004. Currently have 165 hours on it. Powered by O-360-A1A with Whirlwind 151 prop. Currently trying a set of sheared tips on it. Picture was by Gary Robertson in Borrowed Horse (with Jay)

 
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Rv-4 Vh-pio

Hi, great idea about the piccies.

I 'loved' the building process so much I too made it last 14 odd years (an almost scratchbuild). First flight 20 June 2003, just finished the paint (it's v.dark green, not black). New O-360-A1A with Hendrickson wood prop, Ellison TBI, Raven inverted oil systm, 4-1 exhaust, no lights, no gyros, ~950 lb empty. Currently flying Sportsman aerobatic comps in it OK but wish it rolled faster!

Question - I thought the Whirlwind -151 prop was restricted to counterweighted -360's only?? Confirm.
Grant Piper
Australia
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RV-4 Image

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Purchased N42917 already built and flying one year ago.
0-320 w/CS prop. Based @ LAL. Also Building an RV-8

Sal Capra
 
Whirlwind 151 Restrictions

Grant,
The Whirlwind 151 is permitted on a non-counter weighted crank O-360. However, there are RPM restrictions, and Whirlwind does not recommend the 151 with high compression pistons or electronic ignition. The RPM restrictions are as follows: avoid continuous operation between 2050 to 2300 and 2600 to 2700 RPM. If you want more information there is a Whirlwind support group on Yahoo. When I joined, I asked a question right alone the line of what you are asking, that is what is the effect of a light weight prop (the 151 is 28 lbs) on the non counterweighted O-360. There was previous talk/rumor of fatigue issues on the engine accessory drive due to rotating system resonance potentials. The link to that site, and my first post is as follows
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/whirlwindpropellers/message/23
Hope this helps.
Andy
 
WW -151 on -A1a

Thanks for the gen Andy, will read back on the topic. Mine is standard A1A 8.5:1 comp. What is your opinion on the prop? Do the restrictions bother you much? I find with my fine prop at cruise I run at 2600+ quite often, though with a C/S I could pull that way back. Have you done many aeros with it? Does it govern quickly and hold the revs out of the restricted ranges? I like the low weight, I'd need to change to the short cowl and 13" spinner to suit.

Grant
 
Answers to Questions

Gary,
The sheared tips are Vans. As far as performance, it is too close for me to call. Vans tips have more of a rounded edge which are rumored to have better speed performance than the competitor...but it's all pretty close. I would like to think I got a knot or two, but it was more about the look for me. Personal preference, but I like the way the sheared tips break up the Hershey bar look in plan form. I also like being able to get the tip lights inside a fairing. (There are others at my field that would disagree, but that's what makes for friendly banter. I may switch back to the Hoerner style if one of the guys at the field starts to tell me he likes the sheared tips!). The tips add wing area, so stall speed should be a bit lower, and roll rate a bit slower, but again, to close for me to tell.

Grant,
My Sensenich had an 86 pitch. I was lucky if I got somewhere between 1900 - 2000 static, so I was missing out on quite a bit of power on takeoff and initial climb out. Even with this fairly aggressive cruise prop, the airplane would still unload and allow me to exceed 2700 rpm at full throttle. In addition, keeping up with the 180 hp constant speed crowd flying out of Hicks required over 2600 rpm when they were at 24 square. (Pushing too hard for my liking)
The choice for the 151 was pretty simple for me. I had a long cowl (with 12" spinner) and short gear. Since I didn't want to switch the cowl, I needed a CS prop with extended hub. Hartzells with extended hub for the O-360 were too heavy for my liking, and just about as expensive as the Whirlwind. The 3-blade prop is 68" in diameter and that helps with the short gear. Additionally, the Whirlwind 200RV is not available in an extended hub version so that was out of the running. I used the Lancair spinner (sold for the 151 by Whirlwind) since it is just a shade over 12 inches in diameter. (I did end up refairing and repainting the cowling to blend the spinner a bit better....I could have lived with the minor mismatch, but I'm anal-retentive like that)
In the end, I got 14 lbs off the nose by switching to a constant speed prop. The aircraft still unloads well. I typically run 20 inches at 2400 rpm when the 6s are running 24 square. With respect to aerobatics, the 151 goes flat with no oil pressure, for serious aero you want the blades to go course with no pressure. I typically only do rolls & Immelmans so I really don't get into many things that require quick transients. But I will say that the 151 has a fairly small actuation piston requiring high (475 psi) relief pressure in the governor. That coupled with the very low inertia of the prop make the prop hunt more that others with rapid throttle transients. (Again, counter to what you want for serious aerobatics)
For the way I fly, I love the prop! Everything is a compromise, but I don't find the RPM restrictions to be a problem, and the the climb, cruise and braking performance more than make up for the drawbacks. IMHO
 
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Vh-pio

Just curious, did you pick the registration VH-PIO? (pilot-induced oscillation)

Makes sense for an RV4...(Interesting...if you hit CAPS for RV4, it comes out RV$)

Jeff
 
Sold but not forgot


Sold but missed. Working on RV-7, George N?GM (FAA screwed my reerved number up :mad:
 
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re: PIO

HI Jeff,

Slow response, sorry. PIO wasn't my 1st choice, but was near the top! I'm an engineer/pilot so the acronym PIO was known to me. RV$ ? I like them because they aren't $$$, relatively.

Keep adjusting your attitude!

Grant
 
Zu-rvf

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Imported N65HS from USA to South Africa in Jan 05. Convex 17 Feb and have logged 78 excellent hrs since on ZU-RVFour..... :D Talk about RV Grin. Most fun I have had with headsets on...

Am looking at importing second side by sider as more practical with my small kids.
 
Thought I would try and follow Dougs instructions.

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C-FYTQ. Lives in Fredericton N.B. on Canada's East coast. Flying since 97. 0-320 wood prop...steam gauges, hand held GPS, but cost me less that 30,000cdn!

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Here is TQ listening and getting some life experiance from some elders that live at our local airport. BTW, the chief pilot of the operation that still flys the TBM's is a 4 owner.

Joe Hine
 
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Just got N9611C and have enjoyed buzzing around the San Antonio area.

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At Heritage Airpark, TX - just down the road from Zuehl Airpark.

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My son Kyle and I about to go up for his first ride!

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Added a nice Garmin 296 -money well spent!
 
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My RV-4

This is a picture of my 91' RV-4. I've put well over a hundred plus hours the first year alone without a single problem. 180 HP/CS prop make it a true fun machine capable of 190+ cruise.

Only thing it needs is a new paint job someday.

Thanks
Bryan
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DeltaRomeo said:
Taken Dec 17th, 2004 (100yr anniv. of powered flight)"The Bandit". I have been flying it 200+ hours a year since 97' and it's still going strong. Balanced Airboat 0-320D w/9.6:1 comp. Carb w/tunnel ram, Gary Hertzler wood/composite prop(currently testing MT FP). Trues 165 Knots at 8500' 22"/2575 RPM 8.4 gph. Absolutely the best RV of the bunch and still the most bang for the buck!

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RV4's Rock!
 
Scott's RV-4 over Lake Don Pedro in the Sierra foothills

Scott VanArtsdalen's RV-4. 200 hours and going strong!

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Still flying over the Rockies

I'm new to these forum & stuff,,,,think flying's easier...Lets try this again..

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Brent Travis

This is my first picture post. I hope it turns out. I'm upside down, note my head helping it around!

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And here's another one one the ground:

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First Flight

Just think of it, you have accomplished what few people could, or can do, you have built your own plane. I know what that is like, I helped my father build our -3, and I know the feeling of sitting at the end of the runway, with nothing left to do but fly. Your mouth will be so dry that you will hardly be able to talk. But the thrill is when the mains come off the runway for the first time, you break out into a grin that takes several weeks to wear off, because you realize that all of your hard work has paid off and you are flying YOUR airplane! And the best part, the thrill never ends!! So enjoy it, you've earned it! :D :D How about some pics? :rolleyes:

Mike Bauer
RV-3 N87LB (16Years flying)
Ordering RV-4 parts
 
Congratulations

Wow Joe, nice work!!! Spectacular photo; a calendar page for sure. I like the paint job. When you get a little time please give us a PIREP. Love to hear some details about your first flight impression(s), etc.

Sincerely,
 
Best air-to-air shot I've gotten so far. Taken by my buddy Gary Larson from his C172 based out of Hicks. We were on our way to Hard 8 for some BBQ.

 
N3321L

Sold my first RV-4 several years ago and always regretted it. Bought this one in August and flew it home from California (to South Carolina). Great trip, and a great airplane. Richard, if you ever see this, give me a shout. You built a great airplane!

It was plain white when I got it. Eric Mann of Freedom Sign made the graphics and I put em on. Abby at Flightline Interiors did a great job on upholstery (builder and second owner never got around to it, too busy flying I guess) but were still using pillow cases on the Oregon Aero foam. Put on a Vince Frazier tailwheel and rocket link, installed a lock for the canopy (stolen from my craftsman tool box - works great!) Some more lighting in the cockpit; and most recently a slight mod to be IFR capable (see panel pics).

Lots of fun.

Shown in the pictures is my copilot, and reason I quit building the RV-7 and decided to buy. She really wanted to fly now and the -7 wouldn't have been done until she was in high school. A couple times she asked, "let's finish building the plane this afternoon so we can go flying." Sometimes patience isn't a virtue ;)

About two minutes after I taxied up to the house from the coast-coast ferry flight she was in the cockpit:





With the graphics:

 
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