F4 Rocket Lite - Page 2

Aden Rich · #11 04-27-2007, 08:15 PM

We talked about that but I think the CG would be a big concern. Even moving the battery onto the firewall may not be enough. The angle valve 390 would add more weight but might not fit in the tight cowling. I guess if you like fiberglass work it would not be a problem. I'm glad to see a least one guy likes the idea. I hope that Mark will go through with it. I am delivering me gear legs to Harmon Lange so he can spec them out and make steel one for the F4. Hope all goes well and Mark can make an engine mount that works. Thanks, Aden Rich.

osxuser · #12 04-29-2007, 11:41 AM

I like the idea in general, but plan it to accept up to the IO-390 210hp. RESTRICTING the RV-6 to 180HP is one of the main reasons VANS had to do the -7 instead of just making the -6 kit a prepunch. If this kit actually goes into production, you KNOW a lot of people will want to hang an angle valve 4 banger on the front.

smokyray · #13 04-29-2007, 04:49 PM

I finished my RV4 in 97' after 8 years of building. I have since put 1500 incredible hours on it. I thought it couldn't be beat...until; last year I bought a friends 95' HR2 that needed just a little tweaking. I now fly it all the time. The look, feel, extra room, power, speed and capabilities far exceed both the RV4 and the RV8 (which I never liked). I fly the Rocket out of my 1800' rough grass strip just like my RV4 with no worries. I can throttle back to 8 gph and go 155 knots or go 200 knots true at 13 gph. It truly is the best of all worlds. Every RV driver I have taken up loves it.
With Tracy Crooks new 3 Rotor Mazda Wankel cranking out 325HP in his -8 for about $18K installed, there might be a low cost alternative to the IO-540. Running MoGas with a price tag out the door equal to an RV4 the Rocket could be the best bang for the buck.
As far as the Rocket lite goes, weight is everything. If you could build up an IO-360 paralel valve with a Monty Barrett balanced crank, LyCon cyllinders and pistons, you can have around 210HP at 130 lbs less weight than the IO-540. You could even bolt in an IO-390 or XP-400 or Good Lord forbid, a Continental IO-360,470 or 520. Add a composite prop and you might have a real winner...

RR

Aden Rich · #14 05-02-2007, 09:55 AM

The F4 Rocket should be the best bang for the buck with the sexy looks of the Rocket. With the lighter weight and short wings it should handle close to an RV-3. I look forward to building one someday. Thanks, Aden Rich

John_RV4 · #15 05-02-2007, 10:33 AM

I am a die hard RV4 guy also. I never liked the 8 ( no offense ) and I have looked real hard at turning my RV4 project into an HR. But the 540 and the heavy weight is just more than I want to deal with.

I have considered ordering John Harmon's plans and maybe borrowing a few ideas to make the RV4 roomier but I really feel I am going to stay with the 4 banger parallel valve engine and no more. I might even (gasp!) stay with a FP prop !

So, I absolutely love the idea. But it's probably not for me at this time. Since I have an RV4 to finish. Now, if we were talking about a scenario similar to a Harmon, where I could convert my existing kit, that would be VERY interesting. There are, after all, a lot of RV4 kits out there unfinished (4,000 or so) and you wouldn't be going head to head with the RV8. You could stay with the stock RV4 wing (just add fuel) and have fuselage and finish kit options to make the F4. The weight would be probably no more than a heavy RV4.

Anyway, just another angle on a very interesting idea.

Good luck

John

RVAddict · #16 05-02-2007, 04:48 PM

Aden,
Put me down as another person that thinks this is a great idea! I love the
F-1, but at this point in my life, I couldn't possibly afford one.

I also love the RV-8 and RV-4, so this would just add another plane to the list of great ones that I could build one day! I hope to see a kit offered!

randylervold · #17 05-02-2007, 07:06 PM

Aden (and Mark),

Sounds cool, count me as interested also. I've already built, flown, and sold an RV-8 even though I never did think the aesthetics were especially attractive. And I like to have something a bit different also. I like small, responsive, and cost-effective machines which is why I'm just finishing an RV-3B. No doubt I'll get the itch to start on something else once the -3 is flying and debugged and the F4 could be just the ticket, especially if the cost is right.

To my eye the F1 Rocket is the sexiest experimental in the sky, and I like the simplicity of the engine mount / gear leg combo. Also, I think the aft angled gear legs are more forgiving that the -8 legs. Good to hear the 4-cylinder would be hung forward thereby keeping the F1 rocket proportions, they're beautiful. As others have indicated though, for marketability purposes make sure it can take an IO-390.

It shouldn't be much of a conversion for Mark, most of the parts should be common with the F1. Let us know when we can order...

RVAddict · #18 05-02-2007, 07:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by randylervold

Aden (and Mark),

<snip>I've already built, flown, and sold an RV-8 even though I never did think the aesthetics were especially attractive.<snip>

WOW!, I can't believe so many people think the -8 is ugly.

I like it and the -4 but I think the -8 is the better looking of the two.

I like the straight gear legs. I do hope this kit becomes available because the F-1 IS extremely sexy!!

Aden Rich · #19 05-02-2007, 08:46 PM

Gents,
I delivered an engine mount to a potential fabricator of the gear legs. Going to see if we can make them out of steel and provide all of the strength requirements while keeping the cost down on the kits. Mark has talked of offering a parts kit to also keep the cost down and let us do the building of the airplane. Would take a little longer but you could build to suit. I think that it would be assemble with all of the F1 parts except the engine mount and gear legs. We have talked of the possible engines for the F4 and the cowling is designed around the narrower engine. You would have to shoe horn a angle valve engine in there but it can be done. There are people who are offering round air inlets on the front cowling with a plenum chamber (Massey Air). This might work for the IO-390 which would be a great engine for this plane. Although a juiced up 180hp putting out 210hp with a counter-weighted crankshaft would also propel the plane along fine. Mark is pretty set on trying to keep the gross the same as the regular F1 as long a CG is OK. 52 gallons of gas, width of the Rocket, the looks, and a useful load in the 850lb range is hard to beat! I look forward to this airplane more and more. The engine mount is the next thing to tackle so we'll try and keep you posted on the next phase of this project for those who are thinking they want something a little different. Anyone with questions are more than welcome to call me 1-360-636-6074 PST.

randylervold · #20 05-02-2007, 09:16 PM

Aden, would it be the same as the F1: either with the Evo or standard wing? If the Evo kit with emp is $49k how much would an F4 kit be? Steel gear legs would save a few $ but the rest of the kit would be the same, true? Seems like the Evo wing would be the better choice for a 4-cylinder application.