IO360 (180hp) plus MT 3 blade performance?

[larry48]

Have a 1000hours plus in various Pitts etc..out of hard aerobatics..building RV8..looking for well balanced aircraft..any experienced aerobatic pilots with opinion re:IO360(180) vs IO360(200) with MT 3 blade?

[rbpcool]

Sending a PM

[mike newall]

We have an ECI (Mattituck) IO-360, dual P-Mags and an MT 3 blade prop.

Check photos of completed 7's.

It is sooooooo smooth.

It looks soooooo sexy

It gets you airborne sooooooo quickly

It isn't as fast as some, but hey, I am talking 2-3kts.

Oh - and it comes with a pre fitted spinner which saves a chunk of grief.

Wouldn't hesitate again.

[Neal@F14]

The RV-8 in my avatar has the (Americas Aircraft Engines) ECI Titan IO-360 parallel valve with 9.2:1 pistons, ECI fuel injection, cold air induction, and the Hartzell 74" BA prop with MT governor.

It's smooth as glass, climbs like a solid fuel rocket booster, cruises at 178 kts TAS @ 7500-8500 feet @ 75% power, and seems to have the perfect amount of weight up front on the nose, the balance seems just right to me but then I'm a newbie at flying RVs with only about 75 hours of total RV time under my belt accumulated over the past year.

Everyone I've ever spoken to who has an angle-valve 360 on the nose of an RV-8 says they're a bit noseheavy and if they could do it again, would opt for the lighter engine.

[smokyray]

Larry/Neal,

My neighbor let me fly his 200HP RV8 here for a year with an AEIO 360 A1B6 angle valve with aerobatic MT three blade on it. Nice, smooth combo. However comma, RV's are not Pitt's as you are probably well aware of. I estimate 2% of RVer's do more than an occasional roll or loop much less extended over the top or negative stuff. The Eight was a nice flying airplane with Odessey firewall mounted battery and the engine/prop were very well matched. My lightweight 4 could easily wax it in a dogfight and consistently land and takeoff shorter. Important to me as our strip is 1500 usable during rainy season. Personally, I would go with a lightweight engine and prop, maybe even the IO-340 stroker and WW or MT. Wanna save some bucks? Go even lighter with a pumped up I0-320, or 0-320 with Rotec TBI, a very light airframe and 3 Blade Catto. You might be surprised at how well it flies.


My Dos Centavos..

Smokey

PS:My current RVX is basically an RV6 fuselage with Rocket wings and RV4 tail and 150HP and an MT 2 blade (yep MoGas capable) horses. At 940 lbs soaking wet it flies like my 4 did brand new back in 1996. I firmly believe in light weight, low cost and simplicity, something lacking in the current RV mindset. The angle valve 360, C/S MT's and autopilots aren't in my equation. I have always liked a lightweight, snappy performer. Just like the F-16, newer ones have more power but are heavier and the originals that were lighter, flew better. I just passed three grand in RV types from my lightweight, wood propped, auto gas burning RV-4 to my 300HP HR2. I had MT FP 2 blades on my 4 and my current RVX hybrid, great props. I also like Craig Cattos props.

[Sig600]

:

Originally Posted by smokyray

Just like the F-16, newer ones have more power but are heavier and the originals that were lighter, flew better.

True statement, we have Block 15 A's that we fly slick. Total rocket ships, hang on drop and put pylons on it... not so much. F-18 is the same way. A slick A model, awesome. Hang one drop under it, you've ruined it. Same for a slick E.

BTW a Viper guy saying nose position is everything... you have to see the humor in that! The only thing more predictable than a nose low Viper, is death and taxes!

Fights on!!!

[smokyray]

Hi Sig,

Been a while for me brother, I'm old school, 25 years in the BLK 30, 9 rotations to the desert and alot of years. No substitute for HP, GE-F110 Block 30 served me well, until I met the F22. I retired glad to know it's on our side.

Wait till you fight a Raptor.... Fight's over!

Smokey

PS: Of course this has nothing to do with the original question. Light weight is key in an RV...

[Sig600]

Originally Posted by smokyray

Hi Sig,

Been a while for me brother, I'm old school, 25 years in the BLK 30, 9 rotations to the desert and alot of years. No substitute for HP, GE-F110 Block 30 served me well, until I met the F22. I retired glad to know it's on our side.

Wait till you fight a Raptor.... Fight's over!

Smokey

PS: Of course this has nothing to do with the original question. Light weight is key in an RV...

Light weight = Col Boyd's original design for the FX which became the F-16 and F-18. Kind of my point is when the started hanging **** on them, they lost all of that. Exactly your previous point that, you can never go wrong with light and over powered.

Fought a Raptor once, came to the merge 90 degree's offensive. He fixed that in less time than it takes to write this sentence.