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In-flight break-up of Vans RV-7A VH-XWI on 23 April

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what a British understatement...

RIP RayJen :(

I believe them's fightin' words to call an Australian "British" :)

Are there any other details on the break-up in the published literature? Not much to go on if one was to try to use it to examine one's own aircraft for anything....
 
Very sad.

FlightAware looks very strange.

WH-XWI 20210423 flightaware.png

More info:

https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/253804
 
Anyone keeping track of the number of in-flight breakups of RV-7/7A's? I think there have been 7 or 8 occurrences.
 
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Based on the in-depth investigations of two RV-7s coming apart in-flight (by the Canadian and New Zealand safety authorities), and what I personally know about loads, strength, and flutter, if I had an RV-7/7A, it would have an RV-8 rudder on it instead of the RV-9/-7 rudder that came with the kits since mid-2002. That would provide larger strength and flutter margins in case of an inadvertent excursion outside the published flight envelope.

Maybe not relevant to the discussion, but Anti Splat makes both horizontal and vertical stabilizer braces. I don't know if they're necessary, but they're pretty cheap, light, and easy to install. I put the vertical stabilizer brace on my RV-9A, which is not aerobatic.


Horizontal stabilizer reinforcing bracket


Vertical stabilizer reinforcing bracket
 
Maybe not relevant to the discussion, but Anti Splat makes both horizontal and vertical stabilizer braces. I don't know if they're necessary, but they're pretty cheap, light, and easy to install. I put the vertical stabilizer brace on my RV-9A, which is not aerobatic.


Horizontal stabilizer reinforcing bracket


Vertical stabilizer reinforcing bracket

Interesting you bring that up, see my post on one of those installs:
https://vansairforce.net/community/showthread.php?t=195120
 
Now that I’ve been mentioned I’d ask that those who are making certain negative conclusions just cool it, the investigators will have an update in due course.
I will add that XWI had approx 95hrs total time with myself doing approx 1/2 of that including the test flights.
Ray finally achieved his dream - may he now Rest In Peace.
 
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