What's new
Van's Air Force

Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.

RV8 vs Airliner

At 8:25 in the video, you can see my house! Look really closely, you can see me working on my RV-8 in the garage. :D
 
When I lived in Iowa and had occasion to go to northern Michigan, it was about a 90 minute flight to an airport 9 minutes from my destination. Driving, 10 hours. Airlines, including an hour drive from the airport at the other end, about 8 hours... bad connection in Chicago, IIRC. Of course, I did get to fly across Lake Michigan single engine...
 
Nice video. I am curious what your ditching survival plan over Superior was?
In years past , 21 years actually, I considered flying over the big water but anyone I asked informed me about the water temperature and almost zero survival odds.
Only in recent years have I flown the shore and cut some corners , but I was in a flying boat.

It was too dark in the Winnipeg take off for me to see your thermal floater survival suit.:D You and Vlad (Bering sea crossing)get my vote for the nerves of steel award.

Glad you are home.
 
Last edited:
When I lived in Iowa and had occasion to go to northern Michigan, it was about a 90 minute flight to an airport 9 minutes from my destination. Driving, 10 hours. .

Do you own the world’s slowest car, have the world’s worst roads, or the fastest RV? (90 min vs 10 hours)
 
Speed

When you try to drive across a great lake the car usually sinks except in the case of some extremely rare amphibious cars which would not do well on the great lakes except in very calm conditions.
 
When you try to drive across a great lake the car usually sinks except in the case of some extremely rare amphibious cars which would not do well on the great lakes except in very calm conditions.

When I was in college, I ran diving operations on Superior, and we’d occasionally ferry a zodiac (inflatable boat) from south to north shore. Even though they were pretty redundant, I usually wore a dry suit....just in case!;)
 
I've done Lake Michigan a few times. Summer only ( not that it matters, you still only have 20 minutes before hypothermia gets ya, but better odds of finding a boat), good weather, flight following, 10,000 feet, and cross between Manitowoc and Ludington.

Superior, no way. Way to big, way to cold.
 
Do you own the world’s slowest car, have the world’s worst roads, or the fastest RV? (90 min vs 10 hours)

Iowa, south an hour to I-80, an hour to Illinois, go across it, around the south end of Lake Michigan through the perpetual traffic jam, then up through Michigan to almost the top. Freeway lots of the way in Michigan but not all the way.

RV straight line, no deviations.

Answer your question? :)
 
I should have read your whole post (‘across Lake Michigan’). I was thinking ‘upper peninsula ‘ was northern Michigan.
 
I lived in Michigan the first half of my life (a long time). For us “up north” meant anything north of Houghton lake. The upper peninsula was another world all together. People from the U-P are called Uppers (pronounced ‘You-pers). It’s a COOL place. I’ve flown across Lake Michigan a few times, notably after Oshkosh, headed over to a family reunion ‘up north’ near Charlevoix. I crossed from Manitowoc to Ludington, like Rallylancer, at 9500’. With a tailwind, I figured I had 4 minutes where I couldn’t make either shore using optimum glide speed management. I looked too for boats on the way across...... never saw any.
 
Glide

I stayed close enough to shore of Lake Superior to be within gliding distance at 10000 ft. In the fast forward part at sunrise I go direct over the Apostle Islands. Beautiful flight.
 
Final Flight ?

Stu did u sell your 8 ? In the background of your Hangar I spied a 4 project that looked like it was pretty far along ?
When I see your overwater legs it makes me nervous... Im sure I torqued those rods correctly 😳 ! I rebuilt a 320 for a Lancair driver and he sent me a video of his second flight with the new motor with .5 on the tach flying direct from San Diego to Burbank out over the Pacific ! Keep in mind he didn’t want to spend the money to test run it up at LyCon like we did. I was sure hoping to see your 8 at Oshkosh, dam CoVid. I enjoyed your video in the 4 doing Acro, you’ll have to let me know what special features your planning on incorporating in yours; super light I bet. Enjoy the new project.
 
I used to be a troll for 40 years. Now I'm a **** yankee after I transplanted to Florida. I miss the summer and fall in Michigan but sure don't miss the winters ice and snow.
 
Yup

I did sell it. Fantastic engine you built. Looking forward to 4 project also.



Stu did u sell your 8 ? In the background of your Hangar I spied a 4 project that looked like it was pretty far along ?
When I see your overwater legs it makes me nervous... Im sure I torqued those rods correctly 😳 ! I rebuilt a 320 for a Lancair driver and he sent me a video of his second flight with the new motor with .5 on the tach flying direct from San Diego to Burbank out over the Pacific ! Keep in mind he didn’t want to spend the money to test run it up at LyCon like we did. I was sure hoping to see your 8 at Oshkosh, dam CoVid. I enjoyed your video in the 4 doing Acro, you’ll have to let me know what special features your planning on incorporating in yours; super light I bet. Enjoy the new project.
 
Back
Top