retractable landing gear

[stefan87]

Hello to all

I am Stefan from Austria.

I would be interested if anyone of you has already thought about an RV with a retractable landing gear to equip or modify it.

Please write me your thoughts and experiences.

Or maybe you know someone who had also had such thoughts and still has.

I thank you with in advance for the many answers here in the forum.

Fine Greetings from Austria to America.

with friendly greetings

Stefan

[Sam Staton]

Vie gehts, Stephan. I'll post a bit of what you will probably hear from a host of folks - if you want a retractable gear RV, you will be better advised to design your own aircraft. Modifying an RV will be a MONUMENTOUS task, and although technically feasible (I've seen pictures of at least one), won't be worth it in the long run, either from a money or time standpoint. You'll get no support from Van's (can't blame them for that!). Better to build it like Van designed it or design your own. Just my .02

[Danny7]

Someone in germany ( i beleive) has done it.

most people will say that it will take nearly a complete re- engineering of the structure, while increasing speeds a very small amount. the fuel tanks would need some major consideration to make room for the gear.

nearly everyone i've heard that posted about such modifications says it could double your build time, if not increase the time very significantly

in general the summary is: very costly in both time, money, effort and knowledge required to successfully accomplish, with very little benefit and many drawbacks such as increased weight, increased complexity, less room for fuel and some other smaller considerations.

if you really want to fly don't do it. If you want to do some fancy engineering project for a class it could be interesting, but hardly worthwhile or rewarding

edit- vans in the -3-2008 rvator says you'll be on your own, it won't be a van's RV, it is way to much different from a kit for them to offer any engineering help. it has a photo of an RV 8 in bare al that has retracts.

see if you can find photos of D-ESKR. It is a painted retractable ( looks like it was an rv4 ) i have several photos of the plane i could email but no time to post to a file sharing server right now.

[Kyle Boatright]

It has been done. There is at least one retractable RV-4.

[Sig600]

Coolness factor... exponential.

Return on time and money invested for a complicated/unproven/questionably reliable home brewed setup to gain MAYBE 10 knots? Zero

[twsurveyor]

Originally Posted by stefan87

.

I would be interested if anyone of you has already thought about an RV with a retractable landing gear to equip or modify it.
Stefan

"Lot a Sugar for a Dime". I would guess you'd be looking at several thousand dollars, at least 1000 additional build time hours and a 40% increase in insurance cost just to gain 6-8 Kts............ It would be Cooooooool though!

[jcaplins]

Hello. You may not get much help with regard to a retractable here.

Here is a previous thread with some cool photo.

http://www.vansairforce.com/communit...etractable+rv4


In the spirit of experimental aviation. Has anyone considered the retractable gear, ala Cessna high wing style, where the gear pulls back and into the fuselage instead of up into the wings?

Just a thought.

[vlittle]

I know the guy who built the retractable RV-4. He is now building a rectractable 'rocket' using similar gear. It will have a longer fuselage, RV-8 tail and an IO-390. Same width as a stock RV-4.

The gear is beautiful to operate but the wing is extensively modified. Will look beautiful and be fast & economical.

Way outta my league!

Vern

[Bob Axsom]

It has been done so you know it is possible. If you want to do it and can afford it, I think you should do it. You will gain more experience and satisfaction than most builders. At low speeds the retractable gear is not as big an advantage as you might think over a well faired fixed gear RV normally but once you go that far you can build on the accomplishment into an area that hasn't been explored by others. If you have the creative spirit and the tenacity to work through the problems you will have a life experience that is unique and a pretty special airplane.

Bob Axsom

[breister]

The retractable kits are all fiberglass. Unfortunately, if you want a metal retract you are always going to get deeper into that "experimental country."