[RNB]

I sold my C172 yesterday, expect to be able to pick up a 2009 RV10 next week. I am trying to read and chair fly, likely getting to ahead of myself with questions, but want to ask anyway.

I've asked for and received a phases of flight (pitch/RPM/MP) chart and have an idea of how things will go for a landing. This is mainly what I am chair flying (it is going very well...). For my PPL training I recall being blown away watching and learning other people fly a 172, specifically recall three movements on the trim wheel for steep turns good as a rule of thumb, and one for first time flaps are put in AGL. I'm not picking up any great pointer watching tubes. Are there any with regards to trim for various phases of flight? I know I can learn this over time, just trying to not spend 10 hours struggling and then be shown the right way.

On trim, I am VERY surprised to see left sided pilots reach over with their right hand to activate trim. Is this common or best practice?

My yoke has pull to talk button and electric trim in the center on top. There are two other unlabeled buttons on top of the yoke. Any guess what is common? AP cut off/CWS is my best idea for one, not sure of the other.

The yoke when moved all the way right hits the throttle if pulled out. When moved all the way forward it hits the panel. Unlikely to ever travel that far in flight. Thoughts? Is this a construction error? I read in a recently revised yoke forum topic that one style of throttle makes you cut off the metal stalk to make sure all of the stuff clears path of travel after installation.

The. prebuy inspection brought up a few things that likely needed some attention to, it is a bit overwhelming trying to make good decisions related to financial costs and benefits. With all the aftermarket options (antis plat aero as an example) how do you decide? I was maybe foolish going overboard as an anxious new pilot owner with the plane I just sold, do not want to repeat. Things I will need to make decisions on include the following:
1. LED exterior lights. Some work required but most of it optional.
2. Mags were inspected but not overhauled or IRANd. Slick. Kind of a lot to absorb in deciding how to handle these going forward. Keep? Exchange one for modern mag? TMI online
3. Tie downs? Are there anchor points under the wings or do I need the antis plat type product that screws in a jack point?
4. I think I read of someone jacking there plane up and it falling and causing damage. How to prevent this happening?
5. I've ordered the construction manual. Any idea on what stuff I should have on hand such as extra screws/lubricants/spark plug washers? I'd like to go into first inspection with everything on hand in advance.
6. Are there available lube charts with locations and proper stuff to grease or lube with?
7. Gust locks? Home hangar will be good, but what about for travel? What do you do/use?

Other: My BFR is due in August. I assume moving to a RV10 requires high performance endorsement. Does this count as a new rating such that I do not need a BFR sign off or must I also have the BFR signature?

For the constant speed prop, move left to right for decreasing power, right to left for increasing power. Is this gospel? I had someone tell me not to worry about it.

I'll add more as I continue on...thanks for any feedback.

 

[howardtlcc]

A HP endorsement is NOT a Flight Review (and does not count as one). But there is no reason the training could not be combined with a Flight Review. You would need both endorsements in your logbook when done.

 

[8MikeXray]

I would highly recommend finding a RV10 experienced CFI and flying your first 20 hrs with them. Relax, it’s just a single engine fixed gear aircraft.
As you enter the experimental world you will find many things builders do to their aircraft that are non standard practices…switch placement, etc
Many times accidents/incidents are caused by non standard layouts. Unfortunately this is the world of experimental aircraft. I would highly recommend you find a top notch RV builder or A&P mechanic and go thru the entire aircraft, nose to tail and verify every system and its operation in your new RV10.

 

[D-Dubya]

Wow. That's a lot of questions. I'll try and tackle some of them.

Landing / Trim - Why don't you talk to the previous owner to see how he handled this? With electric trim on the stick, the questions about which hand or how many turns of the wheel are somewhat moot. Most people have a typical power reduction they use in the pattern and how they set up for landing, but this can vary from pilot to pilot and plane to plane, even with the same model.

Unlabeled Stick Buttons - Everything is supposed to be labeled, even if it's INOP or not used. Again, what did the previous owner say (assuming he's available)? A/P disconnect is common, but I wouldn't guess. If they're not currently utilized, you can turn them into whatever you want. However, if you're not familiar with the wiring schematic or wiring in general, it's best to get knowledgeable help before proceeding. Letting all the smoke out of the wires can get very expensive.

Yoke Travel - Assuming you mean the stick hits the throttle and the panel. That's not what it's supposed to do. You can adjust the travel limits with the rod ends, but again, enlist some help with this. It's possible you may have to trim the stick length, as some stick grips require this depending on how they're configured. But that could become a pretty involved job, as you may have to shorten wire runs and re-terminate connections.

Lights - I would want them all to work. You never know when you'll need to land somewhere later than expected and wish you had all those lights working so you can see and be seen.

Mags - Slick mags (depending on model) often have a 500 hour rebuild inspection required that costs close to what a new mag costs. Many experimental owners will change over to an Emag, electronic ignition, or just replace the mag in kind at 500 hours. You'll need to look at the engine log book to see where you are on the timeline. There are pros and cons to each choice. You could easily spend hours researching this to decide what best fits your needs.

Jack Points / Tie-downs - There are aftermarket products that utilize the existing tie-down point on the wing as a jack point. Yes, you can cause the plane to fall and do damage. Most of the aftermarket products are designed to minimize that risk. Do a search on the forum and you'll find lots of info and opinions here. The same goes for gust locks. You don't have to reinvent the wheel.

Spare Parts - Everyone seems to have their own system with this. The clear slide-out drawer chests (Lowe's, Home Depot, Harbor Freight, etc.) work well when labeled clearly. I have three of them full of bolts, screws, washers, spark plug gaskets, O-rings, fuel sump drains, etc. Even when I don't use them, other people at the airport can use a part in a pinch. I've helped a few experimentals that landed and needed some parts as well. If you can find another RV-10 owner (or several) and use their condition inspection as a starting point, then you can add specific part numbers and lubricant types to the list. I also write torque values on my CI list. Even if you have an A&P perform the CI (legally required since you're not the original builder with a Repairman Certificate), you can use your list to help the A&P. You have an easy reference if you're doing typical maintenance on the plane (allowed). But again, if you're not sure what you're doing, enlist some qualified help before proceeding.

Lastly, I concur that you should find a CFI with RV-10 experience. It will almost certainly be time and money well spent. You're not flying a demanding aircraft like an F4U Corsair or a Pitts, but some good training will help to calm your worries and may even get you better insurance rates.

 

[71459]

You're not flying a demanding aircraft like an F4U Corsair or a Pitts,

Off topic but, interestingly I had the opportunity to fly a single place Pitts one time. No dual or in-flight checkout was possible, which of course was quite concerning. Funny thing was, it was EASIER to fly than my RV-4. It's a "draggy" airframe, so the speed and decent control is instantaneous. Makes things easier..

 

[RV8JD]

For the constant speed prop, move left to right for decreasing power, right to left for increasing power. Is this gospel? I had someone tell me not to worry about it.

Hopefully you have scheduled comprehensive transition training with an experienced RV-10 CFI.

Chapter 12 of the FAA’s 'Airplane Flying Handbook' covers the transition to complex and high performance airplanes and has a good section on constant speed props and their operation.

https://www.faa.gov/sites/faa.gov/files/regulations_policies/handbooks_manuals/aviation/airplane_handbook/13_afh_ch12.pdf

The basic takeaways are below, but read the whole section in the handbook to undestand the basics of how they work.

⦁ When increasing power, increase the rpm first and then the manifold pressure​

⦁ When decreasing power, decrease the manifold pressure first and then decrease the rpm​

​

Enjoy your new airplane!