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helmets and parachutes

BenPoff

Member
I've recently purchased an RV-4. My mission is to do aerobatics. Two of the safety items on my list as I prepare for this mission is a helmet and parachute. Any recommendations on what to look into or what to stay away from?
Thank you.
 
The tipover canopy gives you a better chance to get out than some of the other RV?s. I would argue however that if your mission is aerobatics there are better choices in aircraft out there. What I love about the RV?s is their ability to do a little bit of everything!
 
IAC Standings

The tipover canopy gives you a better chance to get out than some of the other RV?s. I would argue however that if your mission is aerobatics there are better choices in aircraft out there. What I love about the RV?s is their ability to do a little bit of everything!

Don?t tell Ron, Jerry and Bill that.
 
The tipover canopy gives you a better chance to get out than some of the other RV’s. I would argue however that if your mission is aerobatics there are better choices in aircraft out there. What I love about the RV’s is their ability to do a little bit of everything!
What? I have 600 hours in an RV4 and guessing 100 hours doing loops, rolls ailerons/barrel, stalls, Cuban8, hammerhead, emmelman, split-s (with care). It is a fun excellant aerobatic plane. Is it a Pitts or extra 300? Of course not, but the RV as you say can do it all. RV will do short field, fast cross country with good range and decent payload and aerobatics.

There are many folks who do sportsman aerobatic competition in RV's and place well. The two things RV's don't excell in my opinion, snap roll (with out stall strips) and are fast. It requires proper entry and energy management to stay in box. I don't care for snap rolls and not going to put stall strips on. Energy managment is easy but you must be competent (trained). Lack of ability and or judgment will get you in trouble.

For fun pos G aerobatics the RV can do it all. It is easy to fly, gives you feedback in the stick and seat of pants, lityke adverse yaw, BUT you must know what you are doing and respect the limits.

If you get so good at aerobatics in the RV, and want to grow, then you can upgrade to a special purpose Aerobatic plane.
 
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I've recently purchased an RV-4. My mission is to do aerobatics. Two of the safety items on my list as I prepare for this mission is a helmet and parachute. Any recommendations on what to look into or what to stay away from?
Thank you.
There are many threads on parachutes. The slim or wedge backpacks work best in RV's. Go to their websites, lots of info. There are 3 or 4 major bands (softie, national, strong, butler, aviator). I have a softie wedge. Google parachute dealers. Many jump centers are dealers. Forget a real sky diving rectangular chute. Emergency chute are round and can never used for intentional skydiving. They run sales at airshows.

New chutes are not cheap. You can buy used for significant savings. Of course it will need repack and certification. The idea of helmet is great. No suggestion. If you want something that works with full cup headset that limits your choice. You don't want big in size due to limited canopy clearance or heavy. Google is your friend. I don't wear a helmet but great idea.

Chute makers are primary making the outer shell of pack, straps, and the canopy is similar across brands. Some do offer surplus 28' mil canopies which cost less. They are cheaper but a little thicker and heavier than a dedicated GA sport pilot "emergancy" chute. The plus side of surplus mil canopies is they have higher open speeds (think jet) and greater weight capacity. Some sport chutes are not for big folks.

Look at it as insurance. It is something you pay big money for and hope you never use. Hint get in and out plane with chute on (to practice egress). Never leave chute in plane or laying around in hanger. Get old hard suitcase to store it, and keep in temp controlled dry environment. . Think about what is on your person when you bail, phone, PLB, Spot. If you end up hanging from tree you can call for help and a pizza. :) (ps know how to get out of chute harness fast so you don't get dragged. There is a way to loop straps to get out quick w/o expensive ejector hardware).

http://www.paragear.com/parachutes/10000073/PILOT-EMERGENCY-PARACHUTES

https://www.parachuteshop.com/pilot parachutes.htm

http://www.softieparachutes.com/
 
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Small Helmet only

There is not a lot of room in a RV-4 for a helmet. You will need to shop around for the smallest helmet available. Use moleskin on all the hardware and protrusions to protect your canopy.
 
chute

There is not a lot of room for a chute either. I can only use a seat pack, and remove the standard seat. I use a head cover with chin strap that secures the headset. The RV-4 will do everything I want to do up through the Intermediate category including inverted spins. Have fun and looking for your report in the first contest for 2020.
Bill McLean
RV-4 slider (tip over would be better for egress)
lower AL
 
Since you are in Florida, suggest you call John Hawke at Strong Enterprises and work directly with them for a parachute: 407 859-9317

If you buy used, only do so with expert guidance from a qualified parachute rigger and have it inspected prior to purchase.

Bonehead Composites makes the nicest / lightest helmet IMHO www.boneheadcomposites.com The owner - Chris Frisella - is an RV owner and a good guy.
 
In Old Blighty, we need neither and generally don?t.

200 hours in our RV7. Stunting on just about every flight. Still here !

Just saying ;-)
 
A five if not seven point harness is equal to a chute and helmet and backup goggles.

Five points really makes every manuever better. Extra lap belt with separate attach points may keep you in the seat and was needed for competition.

Backup goggles will help if you lose the canopy but keep the plane.

Helmet and chute- make sure they fit you, the seating and plane well.
 
Thanks everyone for all the advice!
+ I am keeping space limits in the cockpit in mind, but lucky for me I am only 5'4" (I don't get to say that very often), so even with helmet and a seat-cushion style chute, I might still have plenty of canopy clearance.
+ Improved seatbelts is on the list of "wants." The 4-pt in the plane now seems to work pretty good. I'm not going straight to the snap-rolls, but will be starting with some very basic stuff first (all smooth, easy and positive G) and slowly building up. (Just as a good-boy should, right?)
+ I've seen the bonehead helmets on line, and the PilotX with coms looks nice. Expensive, but nice, and maybe a good one-time buy. Really wish I could try one on before purchase though. I will drop Chris a line and see how it goes. Too bad for me they are in CA and not FL!
+ I've seen the chutes on line as well, but it was looking like they were all selling the same thing. The explanation that the businesses selling chutes are really just making different packs makes sense. The contacts for talking to some of the people in that world is much appreciated!
In summary, great feedback! Thank you all!

PS. Willy Eye Ball of AL, you are undoubtedly in my neck of the woods. Hope to see you out there at SERFI or some other local fly-in/pancake breakfast or whatever! And I don't believe you, slider canopy has to be better! (looks cooler anyway) ;-)
 
One more thing...

I'm in the same boat as you. Looking into buying a 4 and want to be ready to get out if needed. Consider a small survival kit to carry with you. I'm going to wear an old flight suit when I fly and I will carry some survival equipment in the leg pockets. Just enough to help me survive and get first responders to me.

Stuff I am thinking about:
Emergency first aid (don't wast your time/space carrying something you don't know how to use it will only increase the risk to you)
- CAT Tourniquet
- Large pressure bandage
- Quick clot gauze
- Triangle bandage
- Safety pin
- Sharpie

Signaling Devices
- 406 Beacon
- Signaling Mirror
- Strobe

Survival equipment
- Knife
- Equipment to lower myself out of the parachute
- Mylar blanket
 
Another option, a number of local pilots are using the Praetor helmet. I don't know of anyone using one in an RV-4, but they are all happily using them with their favorite already-owned headset. They look just like other helmets once in place.

https://www.praetorflyinghelmets.com/
 
Praises for the RV-4

Contrary to some opinions above I think the RV-4 is one of the best values in competition aerobatic airplanes. The only planes that come close may be the Pitts S1C or for a bit more $$ a Pitts S1S. The nice thing about a RV is how much better it is for cross country flying. Getting to and from the contest is often the hardest part of a contest weekend. In a Pitts it may take several hops and a few periods of waiting for VFR weather. I flew to a contest in Sebring, Florida two years ago. The weather was IFR but we made it in one hop from Charlotte, NC to Sebring and I took my wife and two chihuahuas along as well! My Pitts buddies never left the ground.

The RV is VERY competitive at the Sportsman level and is even capable of intermediate level aerobatics, including snap rolls and rolling circles. All it takes is practice, lots of it!

 
Either that helmet sits real high or the guy in the red one has a super big head !!
That one does seem to be sitting rather high, look at the gap between the ear cup and the top of the cutout for it. I suspect a fitting issue, maybe that particular headset doesn't sit well inside the shell?
 
I've recently purchased an RV-4. My mission is to do aerobatics. Two of the safety items on my list as I prepare for this mission is a helmet and parachute. Any recommendations on what to look into or what to stay away from?
Thank you.

I have a wedge softie with aerobatic harness, for serious acro an aerobatic harness (for the parachute) is a must, as is a ratchet seat harness.

I also use an in-ear headset (eg CQ-1) and a skydiving helmet (eg Bonehead Guner). I don't want a $1000 helmet lying around most of the time and don't want to wear a helmet when not flying acro. If I ever have to jump out it will probably hurt as headset is dragged out, but that is a compromise I am prepared to make. An in-ear headset was one of the best changes I ever made.

Pete
 
I'd suggest avoiding a used helmet. Damage to the composite is hard to identify without removing the paint and internal things.

Dave
 
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