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Fastest Groundspeed in a Van's RV

283 knots

vyv50i.jpg


The photo was taken last December near Kansas City...very strong upper level wind.

Bill
RV-7
 
RV speed

So let me get this correct, 325mph? Are you in the right post? I think these numbers belong in the RV Facts post! :D

The fastest tail wind I ever flew in was a 72kts at 5000ft. What a blast!
 
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274 Knots

I believe Bill. I once had a 100KT tailwind on the way home from Mammoth at 17.5k. It gave me 274 kt ground speed for over 300mph. What a blast. Skiied until the lifts closed and was home in San Diego for dinner before dark. Unfortunately, I didn't have my camera.
 
Go back and look..

Paul K said:
So let me get this correct, 325mph? Are you in the right post? I think these numbers belong in the RV Facts post! :D

The fastest tail wind I ever flew in was a 72kts at 5000ft. What a blast!
Click to expand...

....at Bill's indicated airspeed and altitude.....130 and over 17,500.

Regards,
 
Reply from Groundspeedrecords.com

I just got an email from Stephan Lanfermeijer of Groundspeedrecords.com

He has seen the post and wants Bill to email the picture to him so that he can post the RV-7 record.

Bill, if you or anyone else are interested the details needed are listed here: http://www.groundspeedrecords.com/contact.htm

Dave

P.S. I don't know Stephan, I just stumbled onto his site and thought RVs should be represented.
 
253 knots groundspeed in an RV-6A

A few days after Bill's speed, we (Bill and I) went up in my 6A to see what my fixed pitch O-360 could do. At 15,500 msl I reached 253 knots groundspeed. Maybe I could have been a little faster if I hadn't been climbing 100fpm. Next time I'll hold the plane level. :D

Perhaps this will fit on the groundspeedrecords.com website?

I didn't see any way that I could be competitive in this thread but let me be the first 6A to post a photo here.

pc219245.jpg



pc219236.jpg
 
Trip Statistics

Reading Mark Twombly column in the March issue of AOPA Pilot, got me
thinking about the max speed, average speed and odometer that is recorded
in my 496. I had the 496 for the last year I owned my RV-6 and
it sat dormant for a year until my -8a was finished. I had never had
any of the 496's data fields set up to show odometer or max speed.
I was supprised to find out 243 knots was the max speed recorded but
can't recall when it was! I was a little supprised that the trip average
speed was 135 knots (must be all that time at low level with the power
way back!). I had to interpolate a little but figured I've put approx 16,500
nm on my -8a. All of the _96 have this feature. What does yours show?
 
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Tom --funny you should mention the AOPA article and your data. I also read the article, went out to the airport and checked my Garmin 430, and sure enough it had total miles traveled and top ground speed achieved on the Aux menu under trip stats. I did not even know it was there so it has been rolling the data since my first flight back in March of 2006. It showed an average ground speed of 150.8 kts, total miles traveled of a little under 26,000, and a top ground speed achieved of 215.6 kts---I took a pic of the panel at 205 kts ground speed but can not tell you when the 215 was achieved although it was probably on the same trip SE over the White Mountains of N. AZ. The old 430 still surprises me with all of the bells and whistles it contains.

Cheers,

db
 
tom, not sure.....

Chino Tom said:
Reading Mark Twombly column in the March issue of AOPA Pilot, got me
thinking about the max speed, average speed and odometer that is recorded
in my 496. I had the 496 for the last year I owned my RV-6 and
it sat dormant for a year until my -8a was finished. I had never had
any of the 496's data fields set up to show odometer or max speed.
I was supprised to find out 243 knots was the max speed recorded but
can't recall when it was! I was a little supprised that the trip average
speed was 135 knots (must be all that time at low level with the power
way back!). I had to interpolate a little but figured I've put approx 16,500
nm on my -8a. All of the _96 have this feature. What does yours show?
Click to expand...
what is wrong with the 496 but the max speed function seems to over read. try resetting it and go flying and then check it. mine would come back with some very high readings.
 
i came back from bradenton.......

img0319m.jpg

this week with some strong winds. 200 kts is nice. we should have a upper level wind report. it would be easy to hop in and go for a speed run.looks like i need about 100 kts to go for it. turbo
 
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Well, it may not be the highest posted here, but it's the highest I've ever seen in my RV-7.

I departed KLAM (Los Alamos, NM) heavily loaded and headed toward 27K (Georgetown, KY). At 17,500' I was doing 264 knots over the ground, running LOP I might add (hardly ever do much else). I had seen speeds close to that in a descent, but not quite as fast and not while straight & level.

264knots.jpg


I completed that 1053nm leg in 4:30 using just 29.9 gal -- also a personal best of mine in terms of longest leg with stock fuel, highest MPG, etc. Could have done a bit better on time/fuel, but O2 pressure was getting low about 3/4 way through the leg and I had to descend.

Fun stuff.
 
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