[AntiGravity]

Has anyone got any experience of this? http://www.showplanes.com/index_1024.htm
I know it sounds like a weak excuse for the extra expense, but here it is: the only other RV-8 I've seen in here in New Zealand has the ELT antenna stuck at an angle sideways on the right-hand top emp intersection fairing since the canopy slides back so far it can't go on top of the fuse. Looks really odd. I think there was a 'legal' reason why it had to be where it was (since it couldn't go on top).
Having a sideways hinged canopy would allow the antenna to go on top where it is supposed to go. Plus I kind a like the new look. I'm a good long way from ordering a fuse kit (heck, the wings haven't even arrived yet), but decisions I make now help me plan and budget...
Cheers

 

[gmcjetpilot]

antenna, speed, visibility, canopy and looks

Really the antenna issue is a non-starter. It could be beneficial on the ground, having a top antenna, but the lower antenna, despite possible blanketing by the landing gear is not a issue.

The other thing is with a fast back you will no doubt pick up some speed. This has been shown in the book "Speed with economy" and the fastest RV, Dave Anders +250 mph RV-4. (Although his recorded winning records where with the typical bubble, he converted to fast-back later.)

Visability? You will gain by not having the roll bar bow, and you will loose a some to the rear. I remember long ago flying Cessna's with rear windows and than flying older fast-back's with out a rear window. I kind of missed that rear-180-degree view, but it's a minor issue. (Remember the C-152's with a rear view mirror, so you could see the runway on take-off to assure you where on the extended center line.)

The throw over is fine. I have 1000 hours in a RV-4. No doubt the slider is cool looking on the ground, but this gets into almost all the points of the RV-6/7/9 tip-up vs. slider. However I can tell you a tip-over can get lots of air with an intermediate position. Unlike the side-by-side RV's, with a RV-8 tip-over you get a blast of air right in the front of the canopy and in the face.

Looks, your choice.

G

 

[AntiGravity]

Thanks for that. It just occurred to me that taxying with the slider still means you have that small piece of canopy up front preventing the 'blast in your face'. I need to dig out the relevant rules for the ELT: I'm sure the other builder told me that it couldn't go anywhere else because of the rules. Although it would work fine on the underside I simply might not be allowed to put it there. I'll check that one out. Thanks for all the other comments though. I wonder if the potential speed increase might bring you too close to Vne on some occasions...?
EDIT: Hmmm, just checked CAA Rules Part 91 in respect of the ELT and whilst it doesn't say I can't place the antenna on the bottom of the aircraft specifically, it doesn't leave a huge amount of scope.
It says:-
(3) have its antenna mounted--
(i) to provide vertical polarisation with the aircraft in normal flight; and
(ii) for an external antenna, no closer than 0.6m from any other VHF aerial unless specified by the manufacturer; and
(iii) for an internal antenna, exposed to a window at least 0.3m square and insulated from metal parts.
I've emailed the 'local' [2 hours away] owner so I'll see what he says...