[JohnM333]

I know the best way to see if a guy my size could fit in an RV-4 I thought I would get some input from others who have experience with this model of aircraft.

I am 6' 2" and 250 pounds in the waistline. Anyone else out there flying with these dimensions?

Thanks for the input.

John

 

[rbibb]

I'm 6'5 and 225 and I fit. Its snug but works.

Now I suspect you might have an inch or two on me in waistline (38" here) but that isn't the real problem. The biggest issue is leg room and head room. Depending on your sitting height all might be well.

I've flown 6 plus hour X countries no problem with good leg stretch at fuel stop.

 

[apkp777]

That's great info. If (when) I build another plan a -4 it is!

 

[Ted RV8]

Try the 8 on for size if you can.

I'm 6'3" and 215lbs. Before I built my 8 I was going to do a 4. I fit in it but I wore it.

A good friend of mine said I need to at least sit in an 8 first. As soon as I sat in one I knew it was the plane for me. So comfortable and with the adjustable rudder pedals I had all the leg room I could want.

Really depends on your intended use for the airplane. If you want to do cross country and be more comfortable, go with the 8.

If you want a little(just a little) crisper handling and don't mind being a little more cramped go with the 4.


If you're planning on building the 8 will be an easier build. Pre punched and match punched tail, fuse and wing kits.

The 8 has better resale value.

The 8 is designed and rated by Van's for the 200 horsepower engine, while the 4 is rated for 180.

One other note on the fit. Be sure and factor in your age and flexibility when making the decision. If you're young and flexible the fit might not matter as much!!!

Choose wisely!

Ted

 

[JohnM333]

rbibb,

Thanks! Now I am even more excited! And a little motivated to lose some weight?

Just to narrow down some specifics, my inseam of my pants is 33 inches. Never have I asked this question of anyone, but would you share your pant inseam?

Thanks again,

John

Ted RV8,

Thanks for that info. Costs are playing a factor as well. I am not a builder but a lifelong flier. So I will be purchasing one on the used market. I would love the extra room. There may be some x-c flying, but mostly my sunday cruiser.

Thanks for the input. I will also be looking at the 8's as well.

John

 

[Russ McCutcheon]

You will fit just fine in the -4. The seat back and roll bar may need to be moved back an inch or two and the seat cushions in the -4 are all custom anyway, no problem.

As for wearing the RV-4, well that’s the point of the design, instead of flopping around inside the airplane you and the airplane are one and if the seats are right the comfort can’t be beat! 6’ 250lbs 42 32

 

[JohnM333]

Thanks Russ,

Is it a big deal moving the seat back and roll bar?

I have little to no experience with aircraft fabrications. I use a mechanic for just about everything because of my god given ability to screw it up.

John

 

[Brian Vickers]

Long legs in RV-4

I'm 6'0" and 160 pounds, but my legs are long (thanks to grandpa). My Wrangler and Levi jeans are 32 waist, 34 inseam. I use a 1" think medium Conforfoam (product name) pad for the back rest. Conforfoam comes in soft, medium and stiff. Medium has enough give and does not bottom out. I have sufficient leg room length so it?s plenty comfortable in the RV-4 cockpit. Moving the roll bar back is going to cause other compromises so you might want to think it through real well before actually modifying your bird.

 

[Russ McCutcheon]

I have never moved one but mine was built back 1.5? from stock and its great, but like Brian said start buy taking the seat back cushion out and see if you fit.

 

[Stephen Lindberg]

I fit, my sons don't

I'm 6', 195, wear 32 inseam, 36 waist 505 Levis. I fit OK but there isn't much room to wiggle around. I'm glad to get out of it after two hours. My two pilot sons are 6' 5" and they don't fit. One is about 180 and his back is too long. He can't close the canopy without hitting his head. The other son is a little heavier (220) and he can't fit his legs under the panel. Both have had short rides in the back seat but were curled up in a ball to do it.

I looked into moving the front seat and roll bar back but decided it wasn't worth the effort. And I have the skills and tools to do it. It is a much bigger job than it first looks. For one thing, the rear seat would become all but unusable. The roll bar would have to be cut up and welded together again to fit under the canopy and match the side rails. And some provision for transmitting roll over forces would have to be made, because the roll bar would not longer be centered properly on its supports. Not a small job if done right. Plus, the re-sale value would be harmed, especially if it was a kludge job.

 

[wrongway john]

The 8 has better resale value.

8?s tend to have the higher priced engines, and more C/S props, and better instrument panels, so naturally in that sense their resale value should be higher because they have a heck of a lot more investment than the 4 guys who also are building from standard kits. Otherwise, you get more bang for your buck with the 4?s, and both planes will do just fine in their resale value.

When this was brought up a year ago, I did a barnstormers comparison of the 4?s and 8?s at the time, much of the lower prices of 4?s reflected that, but also the age of the 4?s which got a considerable jump on the 8?s. On the brief sample I took, the 4?s on average were about 11 years older than average than the 8?s. The 8?s were selling for about $30,000 more, but only because they had every bit of that extra kind of money invested in their plane which also tended to be newer and less hours also.

Here?s that link, with post 30.

If you want a little(just a little) crisper handling and don't mind being a little more cramped go with the 4.

That does seem one of the biggest determining factors for a 4 vs an 8, is how big you and your passengers are going to be. At 5'10" and 157 lbs dripping wet, the 4 was a no-brainer for me, nor am I cramped. I realize I'll have to limit my passenger sizes to about 200 lbs in the back for my comfort level, although some I've heard have had 230 pounders back there, along with them being 200 lbs + up front. I've also read from another who flies with 1,700 lbs gross on his 4. I can understand concerns when the weights start approaching these limits, and why an 8 would then make a lot more sense for some people.

 

[JohnM333]

These are all great pieces of information. The good news is that it sounds like I fit in the airplane as well as some others do. And costs are a large consideration. The 4 sounds like what would be best for me at this time.

Thanks to all that have shared!

John