Buying RV-4 used, need advice.

I am buying an used RV-4. Looks to be in very good shape. Need some advice on a few topics please. It has an IO 360 with CS prop. The prop has been ND tested but has no yellow tag in the book, is this a problem. Does the prop have to be yellow tagged to be legal? Next, I want to put in foot wells for my wife (it currently does not have them) is this retrofit difficult to do as I am not a builder, good with tools, but not a builder. Also, I have time 60 hrs in a Citabria, last flown a couple years ago, will the 4 be difficult to pick up? The gentleman has a 4 blade fixed pitch prop he may let go with it but said it didn't please him in take off performance rpm limited to 2375. He did say the mfg would repitch for free, is this something I should request to go with the plane?

Fixed prop, no thank you! On an experimental you don’t ""legally"" need to comply with the prop AD so no yellow tag would be required.

The RV-4 is a very easy tail dragger, the RVs are the easiest I have flown but I have never flown a Citabria.

Welcome to VAF!

Welcome to VAF!

Jerry, welcome to VAF

RV and prop

Hi

If he is going to throw the prop in then take it ..... why not.

You will get different views on FP and CS. Obviously CS will give you all round climb and cruise performance.... the down side is that they are heavy and detract a bit from the 4's excellent handling. Of course they are still excellent with a CS.

I have a CS on my 9 and love it, but FP on my 4. Where that prop probably looses out is being a 4 blader, not as efficient as 2, but pulling 2350 should give good climb performance...... and its a spare for when the CS has to be overhauled.

Footwells.... there is a thread on here about this if you search it out.... fabricate the wells, pull the floor up and rivet them in.... should take about a day.

jerrythejet said:

The gentleman has a 4 blade fixed pitch prop he may let go with it ------------ is this something I should request to go with the plane?

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YES, hangar art at the least.

Depending on what it is, you may be able to resell it also.

Is it an angle valve (200 hp) 360 or the parallel valve 180 hp 360? The angle valve with a constant speed is heavy. Make sure it's got the beefy firewall to longeron brackets and look for any cracks in that area.

The footwells are pretty much no brainers. Just pull out your existing pan and cut a sheet of al, match drill the holes then add the footwells to the new piece.

Have fun.

Things to look for

Firewall damage is very common in 4's. Minor FW damage is not a big problem and most people live with it.

Make sure you have the newer type longer landing gear with a CS prop (for ground clearance).

I have seen cracks in engine mount tubes too (that's a problem).

If the kit was purchased before about 1990, be sure to check all 4 engine mount weldaments inside the fuselage. They went to a heavier gauge of steel in the mounts about that time.

Very important. Be sure that the 4 was built per plans. Some of the earlier 4's had unusual builder innovations and mistakes. There was always good factory support, but in the earlier days there was not a network of builders to support your building.

Steve "The Builders Coach"

Hey Jerrythejet

I moved away from the Cardinals and had a couple hundred hrs in the Citabrias and bought a RV4 with a 180 hp and FP prop. The ground handling is similar for the most part. Lots of right rudder on takeoff, way more than the citabrias. If the tail wheel unlocks before the rudder is effective during takeoff it will get your attention. As well, they are off the ground way quicker. Mine at 4000 ASL is off in 400 feet and climbs out at 1600 fpm so lots of fun. Yours will be even better.

Where I had troubles doing the transition was on the landing. Cutting the power they come down pretty fast so losing altitude is not a problem. Even losing a 1000 ft on final is easy.

For me the landing has been the most difficult to master. I have done more over shoots and go arounds with my RV4 in the last 9 months than I have in previous 32 yrs of flying combined. Mine is the short gear version so to get a full stall landing is difficult. The controls are so light it is easy to over control. We fly it on more than anything (with a little power). We don't do the flare the same as any of the high wings that we are used to. Doing a wheel landing seems to work the best. I keep a little extra nose down trim on it to give me some feedback and that helps. However, it does like to bounce down the runway like a basketball if a guy touches a little too hard. I'm thinking the CSP will help a lot on the landings and getting you slowed down.

I did my transition training with Mike Seager in Oregon in a RV7 and it was worth every penny. Even then going from the 7 to the 4 was different but it will help a lot in the transition. The thing I noticed 1st was during takeoff on how much firmer the control was in pitch over the RV7 and caught me by surprise. Only firmer nothing else. My 1st landing in the RV 4 was my best ever 3 pt. After that I have had to work at them.

Good luck and have fun

Tim

Questions?

jerrythejet said:

I am buying an used RV-4. Looks to be in very good shape. Need some advice on a few topics please. It has an IO 360 with CS prop. The prop has been ND tested but has no yellow tag in the book, is this a problem. Does the prop have to be yellow tagged to be legal? Next, I want to put in foot wells for my wife (it currently does not have them) is this retrofit difficult to do as I am not a builder, good with tools, but not a builder. Also, I have time 60 hrs in a Citabria, last flown a couple years ago, will the 4 be difficult to pick up? The gentleman has a 4 blade fixed pitch prop he may let go with it but said it didn't please him in take off performance rpm limited to 2375. He did say the mfg would repitch for free, is this something I should request to go with the plane?

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First, welcome to VAF! This is a great resource for sharing of information and if kept in context, highly useful. That said, I help people find RV's, more specifically RV4's. "Talk is cheap". My services include free chat anytime about RV or Thorp related information.

Glad to help you anytime...Merry Christmas!

V/R
Smokey
[email protected]

PS: I've been honored to be a charter member and previously on Doug's Yahoo RV list back in the 90's. As an F-16 IP once told me, "Never be afraid to ask a question".

Once you learn how to slow it down you'll be fine, mine was fp, with cs it'll slow up fine, much easier to fly ground handling wise then the citabria, you almost don't need the rudder pedals, def no brakes. My new airplane really makes me realize how easy it was to fly. Have fun. I sold my citabria to move onto a rv -4.

gmann750 said:

much easier to fly ground handling wise then the citabria,

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I've flown both and it's literally impossible to get any easier than the Citabria. Not sure how anything could be. The RV is very forgiving and straightforward though. I assume you have the Pitts now? What are your thoughts on the comparison?

Welcome to VAF.

You will enjoy the 4!

luddite42 said:

I've flown both and it's literally impossible to get any easier than the Citabria. Not sure how anything could be. The RV is very forgiving and straightforward though. I assume you have the Pitts now? What are your thoughts on the comparison?

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The Pitts makes the rv seem like landing a cessna 150, you just have to be way more on top of everything, the rv had that little bit of forgiveness the s-1 does not, it only does what you ask of it and it does it instantly. The 5 hrs of training with Johnny White was the best money I've spent in flight instruction, I do miss the speed of the 4 tho.... Can't have it all.

Well, got my (new to me) RV-4. What a great airplane! Hadn't flown a tail dragger in many years and after a couple flights felt right at home. Had a four hour flight to get her home and then the fun began. Day one, I got a stomach virus that left me in the hotel room for two days on my back, or butt rather. Day two I further got an eye sty that nearly had my eye looking like something from a horror movie. Day three, finally able to start my trip home. On the second leg descending to get fuel lost all manifold control and after circling the airport for 5 min at fuel throttle decided to do a SFO, shut the engine down and and came around to land. To ensure I had the runway I carried an abundance of air speed then slipped her onto the runway and rolled onto the taxis way. The tower replied cooooool. After inspection it seems the throttle yoke bolt had fallen out????? Looks like the wrong type nut was used or it sheared. After replacing with the correct bolt and castle nut I was on my way home......now uneventful. Took my wife for her first ride and she was very pleased with the airplane. Now to add footwells and she will be ready for spring.

WOW!!

jerrythejet said:

On the second leg descending to get fuel lost all manifold control and after circling the airport for 5 min at fuel throttle decided to do a SFO, shut the engine down and and came around to land. To ensure I had the runway I carried an abundance of air speed then slipped her onto the runway and rolled onto the taxis way. The tower replied cooooool. After inspection it seems the throttle yoke bolt had fallen out????? Looks like the wrong type nut was used or it sheared. After replacing with the correct bolt and castle nut I was on my way home......now uneventful. QUOTE]

What a trip!! So very GLAD it went well for you, FANTASTIC. That, was a super learning experience. You are really going to have fun fun fun now.

Happy flying!!

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jerrythejet said:

5 min at fuel throttle decided to do a SFO, shut the engine down and and came around to land.

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Nothing simulated about that! You did a no sh*tter FO.