Span of RV8 Tail

RVFlyer · #1 03-30-2006, 04:24 PM

Hello all. I'm debating on where to build an -8 and need to know the width of the widest part of a wing-less RV8. I assume the horiz stab is wider than the gear? I'd like to avoid building something I can't get through the door (before heading to the airport for final assembly). Van's website only shows wingspan, not tailspan.

Thanks!
Tom Chandler
--Ready to pull the trigger

szicree · #2 03-30-2006, 04:31 PM

Sorry I don't have any 8 knowledge, but on my 4 the h-stab goes on and off in about 10 minutes. Really no big deal to remove it if required.

13brv3 · #3 03-30-2006, 04:57 PM

Figure about 106.5 for the completed tail width. Now you could leave off the elevators, and cut that down about 7 inches, or leave off the horz stab entirely, and cut off about a foot. I don't have the exact size of the wheel width, but it's just a couple inches under 8 foot I think.

FWIW, Van says to fit the empennage, then remove it until final assembly, so I guess some people might actually leave it off until they get to the airport. I never have though, and I'm actually in the process of installing mine now.

Cheers,
Rusty

sf3543 · #4 03-31-2006, 07:46 AM

I would recommend leaving the tail off until the end simply due to the fact that it is easier to work on everything else with it off.
As someone stated earlier, it goes on and off quickly and you won't run the risk of doing damage to it while working on the rest of the plane.
I am currently about 3 weeks from inspection and the tail is still off while I finalize everything else. It will be the last thing I put on permanently. (Although, if the wings aren't installed, it is a good idea to put some weight on the tail spring, if the engine is installed.)

Dan_E_Root · #5 03-31-2006, 05:04 PM

Seems to me my HS is 9 feet from tip to fiberglass tip. Not knowing where you're going with this, but the fuse will fit in a one car garage stall on the gear, with the tail on, and without the engine.

Other guidance so far as been spot on, though. Many garage builders assemble the tailfeathers, fit them, and then hang them up somewhere for storage. Once the tail's been fitted, there's lot's of work to be done forward which has nothing to do with the tail. So, there's no harm in removing them giving you have more space to move around in the garage.

However, ya can't sit in da cockpit makin arplane noises unless ya got somethin to sit in, that looks kinda like a arplane!

have a ball
dan
FWF

Rick6a · #6 03-31-2006, 05:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RVFlyer

..........need to know the width of the widest part of a wing-less RV8. I assume the horiz stab is wider than the gear?...........Tom Chandler...

I just measured my -8 horizontal sitting on saw horses in the basement. The widest location I could determine with the tips installed came in at 106-3/4". Without the tips, it seems to be 102-5/8". I cannot comment on the -8 landing gear width though. As a data point, even though the landing gear is wider than the basement door opening by 4 inches, 3 of us managed to get a friend's 6A out of his basement by removing its walk-out doors from the hinges and sort of lifting the plane up and leading outside with one wheel. Of course his engine was not yet installed though. Hope this helps.

Rick Galati RV-6A "Darla"

Brian Denk · #7 04-02-2006, 01:03 PM

I recall the gear width of the RV8 with engine mounted to be roughly 80 inches. The door to my workshop is/was/is (bear with me here), 36 inches.

Do the math.

On the decided "birthing day", out came a sledge hammer and sawsall. About fiteen minutes later, I had a pile of door frame, stucco and framing lumber (or, what used to be framing lumber, but now relegated to kindling duties). The baby was delivered, and transported to it's new cradle at the airport. Since I had no plans to build another airplane again (HAH! Silly me), I rebuilt the doorway back to it's former glory as a standard exterior grade door. Matching the stucco was a real bear, and is an art unto itself. And, I ain't no artiste'.

Keep the tail offa da plane and just stuff some weights in there to keep it down while you hang the engine and other weighty, spendy stuff up front. HS span is about 8 feet, but only a few inches thick. As we all know, it's the thickness that matters the most. !!!!

Did I just say that? This time change has clearly fouled up my inner monologue...which should remain silent.

Thank you very much.

Brian Denk
RV8 N94BD
RV10 '51 in eternal gestation mode