[richvidaurri]

Now here is an odd question. Has anyone ever tried to fly an RV-8 with a flight bag, charts, E6-B and what have you in that little cockpit? I've never seen one up close but before I do I was wondering where I'd put that stuff?

Thanks,


Richard

 

[Geico266]

Charts? We don't need no stinkin charts!

 

[Ironflight]

All it takes is a bit of planning.....

I have a small flight bag that will carry about four NOS books. I also subscribe to Air Charts for their spiral bound Enroute and WAC books - the little bag goes behind and to the right of the pilot's seat, and the chart books go beside the passenger seat. I have also built storage pockets where the pilot's "arm rests" go - the fuselage is to wide to use them for anything else! I can store a lot of little stuff, including the Approach plate book I plan to use.

The chart book can be opened to the correct page and rolled into a U-shape and temp stowed in the foot well on one side - the other foot well gets a water bottle and a snack.

Then of course, I have an EFIS with moving map, a 396 (with moving map) a 430 (with moving map) all mounted in the panel - so I don't really need to look at any of the charts (sort of like Larry said above). In actuality, the cockpit is very manageable on a long cross-country, as long as you realize that it is a tandem, fighter-pilot cockpit, and not a place where you can spread out. it takes a little forethought and planning, but you get used to it, and it becomes a very comfortable office in which to spend the day.

A big "brain bag"? forget it!!

Paul

 

[Chino Tom]

Storage in the 8A

The 8A because it doesn't have the gear towers of the -8, has a little more room for stuff. I made a new lower right sub panel to hold a small flight bag.
This eliminates the Van's supplied weldments for the rear rudder pedals, so I made my own. The Van's lower panel "tent" shaped panel remains on the
left where the fuel selector is located. The right sub panel is now flat
with a flange on the left side so stuff does fall onto the floor. Also, the
arm rests in the front are useless and I attached small flanges to make these
map storage areas also. Lots of time was spent thinking about this kind of stuff and lots of pictures of -8's gave clues (not much independent thought
here, I copied others ideas).

 

[pierre smith]

That's because you can customize....

Thank you guys very much, I have a fairly good idea of what I'm going to do. I'm just surprised Vans doesn't seem to address this issue in any of their literature.

But again, thanks much.

Richard Vidaurri

.....your airplane to fit just you. I've seen a tray added under the panel in which to slide a sectional folded. Velcro around a pen stuck to the side, velcro on a mini maglite also stuck to mating velcro on a bulkhead or the side, out of the way but within reach. Look at RV campers and notice how every nook and cranny is usable space.

Regards,

 

[pierre smith]

Richard,

.......as airspeed doubles, the drag squares! On a C-150, you lose around 3 MPH....at double its airspeed, as in our airplanes, you'd lose a good 9 MPH.

Our 6A gained 16 MPH with pants and leg fairings and also another 150 FPM climb, also harder to slow down in the pattern.

Consider this: In our case, flying 100 hours a year (we do more), we'd go 1600 miles further, or 9 hours saved. At 9 GPH, that's 81 gallons and at $5.50/gal = $445.00 extra because of no fairings. A good case to streamline as much as possible. YMMV,

Regards,