DeltaRomeo

DeltaRomeo

doug reeves: unfluencer
Staff member
On 9/7/7 Ross (Scorch) Burgess and I flew over to Hicks (T67) from NW Regional (52F) at the invitation of Jay Pratt of RV Central (www.RVCentral.us) to take his recently-out-of-Phase-1 RV-8 up for a flight. He?s been asking us for weeks <g>. Both Ross and I have RV-8 time, me in Danny King?s ?Beautiful Doll? and Ross in the -8 owned by Bob Stack and Bill Goekin.

After a cockpit checkout from Jay, Ross took the plane up for about 15 minutes. After he landed I took it up for about the same.

Some impressions compared to my -6 ?Flash?:
  • The RV-8 rolls better than the (or at least my) RV-6. The first thing I wanted to do after taking off was get it upside down ? this plane doesn?t feel ?right? level. The response to roll input is magical.
  • The field of view is really, really sweet. Being able to look over the right side (compared to my -6) is appreciated. Looking over the left side, however, the RV-12 still wins in the field of view category. Thanks again, Gus, for that -12 demo flight!!!
  • In pitch, it?s heavy. This is due to two things, I?m told: nobody in the back (obviously) and Jay is using a lightweight battery. It wasn?t uncomfortably heavy, simply heavier than what I?m accustomed to in my -6. It took more stick force to pull positive G than it did to roll.
  • The throttle response throughout its range was perfect. Jay has this airplane set up absolutely perfect (180 C/S carb). I found myself resting the left side of my hand on the Dayton Murdock throttle quad and bumping the power up with the palm of my hand. Ross and I talked after our flights and both said we did the same thing.
  • The stick was a lot more complex than mine (one button: PTT). Most of the pre-flight briefing was on the operation of the stick. There were buttons for starting the aircraft (arm switch on side panel), booster pump (same), trim coolly hat, flaps, PTT, autopilot disconnect, etc.
  • (on the ground) The tailwheel sensitivity was greater than my -6. Not uncomfortable, but more sensitive. Field of view while taxiing was really quite good.
From the video clip that I shot, you can see Ross took off in about three seconds. He said he did some rolls and, coming back, landed just about as perfect as you could ask. I was still adjusting to the sensitive tailwheel on my rollout and kept wandering around the centerline. We both wheel landed in a low-tailwheel stance. I think we both did this out of habit, being our preferred way landing -6?s.

Video clip of our flights: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcnGW7kuLjk


In the clip note the rate of roll ? 90* left/right is magnificent.

Jay?s RV-8 is a honest, very forgiving RV that is a joy to fly. About ten minutes into the flight, after a few flap up / flap down stalls, I put the camera up on the dash and got a horrible pic of me. That pocket camera is hard to use on the dash pointed backwards while you?re scanning for traffic, and the picture doesn?t take instantaneously, so you don?t know when to smile. That?s why I look like a dork. Yeah, that?s the reason?

Thank you again, Jay. You can fly Flash anytime you need.

As always, Scorch, Jay, Danny (and all) are invited to jump in with comments.

b,
dr

Pictures:

IMG_0997.jpg

Ross

IMG_0998.jpg

Ross

IMG_1004.jpg

Dorky picture of me...

IMG_1006.jpg

The cockpit.

Note: A larger version of the cockpit picture can be viewed HERE.
 
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Good Report!

Sounds like you had a nice day Doug - I can't wait to see the new Horse myself - it looks like a good, honest Jay Pratt airplane.

I find your comment on roll rate interesting, because I found the Flash is much lighter and quicker in roll than the Val, so I wonder what magic day did to make his feel lighter - maybe no aileron trim springs? Pitch definitely gets lighter with a passenger BTW!

Is that a burlap bag on the front seat to keep you guys from goobering up the upholstery or something? :p

I'm off to the airport...gotta fly!

Paul
 
Ironflight said:
snip....I find your comment on roll rate interesting, because I found the Flash is much lighter and quicker in roll than the Val, so I wonder what magic day did to make his feel lighter - maybe no aileron trim springs? ...snip
Is that a burlap bag on the front seat to keep you guys from goobering up the upholstery or something? :p
Click to expand...
Maybe it was the fact that I was on the actual axis of rotation (and the increase in roll rate was just percieved and not *actual*).

We're trained to barf inside our own shirts :rolleyes:....it's why we tuck them in before flying.

Ha!

Have fun flying.

b,
dr
 
RV8

Doug,
Hitched rides today in a Sonex, RV8, and Citabria (in that order) during our EAA chapter's fly-in breakfast and was able to get some stick time in all three...the RV8 was absolutely the best ride. Not exactly breaking news to this audience, but the ride eliminated any doubt in my mind about building an RV.

Sent you a check today to support the website- next big check goes to Van's!

Mike
 
The video of Jay Pratt's Rv 8 flying

Hi guys, Watched the video of Scorch and Krash flying Jay Pratt's RV 8. Loved it. Got a question. Is that canopy locked "open" about one inch during the takeoff and landing shots, or am I seeing things? If it is, I'd be interested in how you did it.

Don RV 8
N184BH All of 14 hours so far
 
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donaziza said:
snip...Is that canopy locked "open" about one inch during the takeoff and landing shots, or am I seeing things? ...snip
Click to expand...
Nope, it was closed and locked. The material covering the roll bar is black, so I bet that is what you were seeing...:).

Would be a nice 'vent', though.

IMG_0997.jpg
 
How do you guys handle the insurance thing when you swap planes like that? I think the coverage is void on my plane if someone other than me flies it unless I have them added to the policy first.
 
N130WN said:
How do you guys handle the insurance thing when you swap planes like that? I think the coverage is void on my plane if someone other than me flies it unless I have them added to the policy first.
Click to expand...
Good question, Larry.

A bunch of us in the area carry each other on our insurance policies. For example: Ross, Danny and Jay are on my -6's policy. I'm on several of my friend's RV policies.

b,
d
 
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Flying Borrowed Horse III

Jay is a great guy and very trusting of his friends. He offered me the second flight on Shooter. I gladly took him up on it, and I taxied back with a goofy looking grin on my face, having had a blast in his Super Cub Clone.

Jay's 8 was flying so I dropped by to visit, and see the new "Horse". Before I new it, I was taxiing away in a his brand new RV-8. After the run-up, I lined her up, and smoothly pushed the throttle full open. The 180 hp ECI 0360 pushed me back into the seat with all the furry of the Doll's heavy 200 hp mil.
The tail was up in a couple of fuselage lengths and the mains lifted off in a total of maybe 300 feet. As I was climbing out, I wondered why I had spent the extra 10K on the angle valve engine!

I headed out to the northwest and put the Horse though her paces. Rolls and loops were effortless with the great visibility I had come to expect in the Doll. In fact, the Horse seemed to be more lively in Roll than the Doll, with less aileron thump when full deflection was used.

I was enjoying myself so much that I had to look around for a minute so I could determine were I had wondered off to. I finally got oriented and headed to my home airport. I wanted to test the short field ability of the Horse on my familiar runway. The landing was easy (like in all RV-8's) and I turned off at Bravo in front of my hanger. I taxied back and pulled onto the runway with the full length ahead of me. I ran up the engine and released the brakes. The Doll can lift off prior to the numbers on a good day, so I decided to rotate as soon as I thought the Horse would fly. Wow, airborne well before the numbers with an outside temperature in the 90's.

I began to feel guilty having so much fun burning Jay's fuel, and having a blast in his new airplane so I reluctantly returned to T-67 and taxied the Horse back into Jay's hanger. We went to lunch and I left for home with a great day of flying behind me.

Thanks Jay
 
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trading airplanes ?

Doug is right, we have each other on our insurance policies,,,, but,,,,. these are short flights in good weather, not overnight cross countries,,, or just use my plane 'anytime type thing'. We are just sharing the fun.
If the Borrowed Horse, or any of my airplanes quit and my friend had a forced landing, and damage,,, gulp!...... I / We would fix it...,,, if the pilot wasn't on the insurance.
My friends are good pilots and would not do anything dumb. I trust them. I would not loan an airplane to a pilot I did not trust to have good judgement. I fly theirs too. It is fun to try on different 'horses'. Fun to share the hobby.
Doug is going to fly 'PUTT PUTT' my Cessna 140 soon. I hope He will get on my bandwagon ,,,,,,, OWN AND fly SOMETHING, while you are building!!! Stay current!!
 
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