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flyboy10

Member
Well, I'm smitten with the RV 8. I've been considering canard airplanes (Long EZ, Cozy MK 3) for a long time, but maybe the 8 makes more sense.

A few questions:

How is the room REALLY for the GIB? I know what the sales brochures say, but I'm interested in what wives say that ride in a long X/C. There was plenty of room in the back of the Long EZ, so if you know those planes, please compare.

How is the ride in turbulence compared to a Cessna 172 or Piper Cherokee?

Are the book numbers attainable?

How is staying within C/G? If you build, is it easy to go overweight?

Anything you DONT like about the plane or wish was different?

Thanks for your help!
 
Well-l-l-l-l-l, I'll make an attempt at it. Getting in and out of the back seat is pretty challenging, especially with the slant of the airplane on the tailwheel, but once your in, it's actually quite comfortable. I've been in my own back seat a couple of times, ( I'm 5' 10")---I've had a 200 pounder back there for 2.5 hours a couple of weeks ago ( He was about 6' 2"). Three years ago, 7 RV's went from the eastern US out to the Grand Canyon and all the RV 8's had wives in the back. ( Can't compare with a long EZ)

As far as turbulence goes, I've been in it where I've had my head banged up against the canopy---annoying, but now I make my seat belt tighter. ( This type of turbulence doesn't happen that often)

Regarding "Are the book numbers attainable", there is another thread here that's current, and called "RV 8 True Airspeed". Read that for a lot of good answers.

Regarding "How is staying in CG", here are the numbers on my plane. ( I didn't build it but I've had it weighed twice)
1077 lbs empty airplane weight
50 lbs fwd baggage ( Tough to fit 50 lbs up front unless you use two 25 lb barbell weights)
252 lbs of gas
195 lb pilot
151 lb Passenger
50 lbs aft baggage
25 lbs aft shelf baggage

This adds up to the max weight allowed for the airplane which is 1800 Lbs
Getting a suitcase in the back "can be" tough. You need a "soft" bag ie something that that will conform to the shape of the airplane.

Max acrobatic weight is 1550 lbs. My engine is a Lyc O- 320, and thus smaller than most engines out there. The heavier your engine, the more it will squash the numbers above. Since it is a tandem cockpit, you "do" want to watch your CG closely if you start loading up the back

"Anything I don't like about the airplane" I wish it was an F-18, but hey, on my budget, it ain't bad. It's fast and extremely maneuverable. There are a fair number of retired air force former F 16 drivers out there flying these if that tells you anything. The airplane will do a lot of things well, ie you can play fighter pilot in it easily, you can do acrobatics, and as some wag here on Vans Air Force pointed out, " Able to leap half continents in a single day" ( I've been Atlanta to California with mine--two days to get there, six hours of flying each day)

Hope this helps. Where are you located?
 
Long EZ vs RV8

I have flown in the back of both. I am biased towards canards but have to say the back seat of an 8 is much more comfortable for short term flying in terms of leg room. The back of a Long is cozy (sorry..had to do it) and you sit up higher in an 8 so I would argue you have a better view down. The view Up is the same :)

That said, the canards have semi-reclined seating and headrests which make it very comfortable for long travel. I am a wide body 5'10" and flew to Osh in the back of a Long EZ and the leg room got annoying after a few hours. The GIB may not have the same issue.

You also mention a Cozy, which brings up tandem vs side-by-side seating. That is a question you need an answer to before you dive into anything. Do you want a GIB or next to you?

Ryan
 
How is the room REALLY for the GIB?
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Most comfortable RV seat going - much better than the SBS, and better than the RV-8 front as well :) Only issue is getting heat there (well documented here).

How is the ride in turbulence compared to a Cessna 172 or Piper Cherokee?
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Don't know those types well. However, the RVs are not exactly comfortable in turbulence, and the RV-8 back seat suffers from yaw as well, being well aft of CG. However, that's just a characteristic of a highish performance, delightful handling aircraft.

Are the book numbers attainable?
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Yes, if not exceeded.

How is staying within C/G?
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Easy. Plan ahead and ask here at the build stage. Flying wise you have a lot of control with 2 baggage compartments. You will need to think/be aware of CG though v loading, flying, aerobatics etc.

If you build, is it easy to go overweight?
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Yes, if you believe it needs to be fitted with an Airbus style cockpit, luxury seats / furnishings, or excessive HP :eek:

Anything you DONT like about the plane or wish was different?
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Very little, and they would be niggling maint / access areas. From cruising to displaying to fun to short fields, nothing to beat it ;)

There is talk that the resale value of RV-8s is higher than other RVs, and the accident rate is lower. If so, this does not necessarily reflect on the aircraft, but I suspect as much the type of aircraft the more experienced pilot settles on.

Andy & Ellie Hill
RV-8 G-HILZ 1000th flight 4 Sep 2011
RV8tors
 
Donaziza,

I'm located in SE TN. I've been looking for a directory on here, but can't find one. I'm sure one exists. I would love to see one of these planes up close and possibly take a ride. Though honestly, I'm not sure how close I am to being able to build or buy. I'm currently in a club that has a Piper Archer II, and a club/partnership in an 8 would be great, though I'm sure that is rare. If I could find a like minded individual, I wouldn't mind starting my own.

How are they for IFR? I'm sure you wouldn't want hard IFR, but I would like the ability to feel comfortable doing some IFR flight in it.
 
flyboy10 said:
Donaziza,

I'm located in SE TN. I've been looking for a directory on here, but can't find one. I'm sure one exists. I would love to see one of these planes up close and possibly take a ride. Though honestly, I'm not sure how close I am to being able to build or buy. I'm currently in a club that has a Piper Archer II, and a club/partnership in an 8 would be great, though I'm sure that is rare. If I could find a like minded individual, I wouldn't mind starting my own.

How are they for IFR? I'm sure you wouldn't want hard IFR, but I would like the ability to feel comfortable doing some IFR flight in it.
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Here is the directory you need:

http://www.vansairforce.net/rvwp.htm

Though not designed as IFR platforms, proficient pilots can fly suitably equipped RV's in IMC.
 
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Come to Triple Tree.

Triple Tree (SC00)is only 143 nautical from you and at next weekend's fly-in there, I'm sure you'll see several -8's.

Best,
 
Go to the fly in and look at all the 8's but do not go for a ride in an 8 without 70K in your pocket ready to order the kit.
 
flyboy10 said:
that brings up another good question. is the cost estimator on the vans site anywhere to being accurate?
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It is a good estimator when trying to get a handle on what a project will cost if built to the plans with recommended engine and no elaborate avionics. Vans is an advocate of simple, light aircraft.

Actual cost can vary from the estimator a few percent due to changing market conditions and project creep. Significant departure from an "as designed" project can greatly increase cost and build time.
 
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RV-8

Simply put: The RV-8 is the pick of a very nice RV litter! It does so many things well, it seems to defy aeronautical design laws.
 
To answer one of your questions, the -8 has a rather amazing range. I tested this a lot this past weekend. Friday and Saturday I had a 6 foot 3 inch, 180 pound passender IN THE BACK. He said he was relatively comfortable although at 70 years old, he had a heck of a time getting back OUT. But once in, he seemed to be ok and surprised at the room available considering his height. Then again he flies a Spitfire in his spare time, so for all I know, he is used to being crammed into small holes!

Sunday I had a 215 pound, 5 foot 11 inch F-16 jock back there and he had no problem at all.

Both GIBS had at least 16 pounds of parachute and helmets on. I am 210 and had a 15 pound chute on, but no helmet. My 8 has a CS prop and my battery is located behind the hat shelf in the back. I had about five pounds of smoke oil in the forward compartment. On all flights we started out with about 37 gallons of fuel and landed an hour later with 30 to 28. One one flight I am pretty sure I was down to 21 gallons at landing with the tall skinny GIB. We were within a few pounds of gross with the 215 GIB.

The 8 did not care. We were landing in a 22 mph quartering cross wind and flair was normal. CG was good. Stability in flight was very good.

You can definitely get the 8 out of CG with little effort but she has a wide enough range that you can take a fair number of beer swilling friends up, so long as their guts don't impede the aft stick.
 
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