Ironflight

Ironflight

VAF Moderator / Line Boy
Mentor
OK, there is no doubt in my mind that the RV line of experimental airplanes are the greatest thing to come along in general aviation since the Piper Cub?.but nothing is perfect! Here are a few little things we learn for ourselves (some the hard way?.) over time:

1) Those ?non-slip? wing walks with the ?RV-x? cut in them? They are as slippery as dog snot if the soles of your running shoes are wet!!
2) Putting the last gallon of gas in an RV tank takes patience as the fuel drains through the baffle holes
3) The grease fitting on the tail wheel? Pump as much as you want in to it ? it just fills up the wheel, and doesn?t lube the bearings! And makes a mess?..

I?m sure others can add more?.;)
 
1. No matter how much you dry off the slider canopy after a rain, enough water will fall directly on the seat to soak though your pants.
2. If you fly in to rain … rain will soak your shirt before you can remember to shut the fresh air vent.


:) Still the best plane in the air.
 
Eventually the same old mountain breakfast flight gets old and you yearn for something new.

Yes, I yearn.
 
Straining to think of something - Oh Yeah!

Even though it seems logical and natural to use the brakes for all steering on "A" models, don't. The right brake linings will wear out before you reach your first condition inspection (because of dragging the brake during takeoff) and when they wear down enough to allow the fluid to leak out past the o-ring on the piston in the slave cylinder you will loose the steering you have gotten use to. Use the rudder whenever possible for all taxi turns - actually works pretty well.

Bob Axsom
 
A left/right fuel guage selector switch (I have one fuel guage and a left/right switch under it to put on the tank I want to check) put right at the bottom of the panel on the passenger side will get broken by the foot of passengers getting in and out of your plane...

...more than once.
 
When washing the RV-8, soapy water will find it's way into the NACA duct on the left side of the fuselage. The water will collect in the low spot of the scat tube, providing a nice surprise when opening the air vent after takeoff...
 
Learned in the first 200+ hours

1) Buy plenty of the little rubber PTT button protector booties for your stick. No matter how carefull you are to climb in (and instruct you passenger; see previous post by Scott) someones foot will bump the switch and rip the rubber bootie.
2) Make sure you get your gas cap on squarely. The low pressure on top of the wing will suck out the gas if the cap is not sealed.
3) The engine moves quite a bit inside the cowl. Make sure you have plenty of cleareance or the air box (or something else) will hit the cowl (especially during engine shut down)
4) Check your exhaust pipes for security durning every pre-flight. The adel clamps connecting the hangers break often. I found they last longer if the connecting rod is on the back side of the adel clamp and you use a washer under the bolt head and nut.
 
Ironflight said:
3) The grease fitting on the tail wheel? Pump as much as you want in to it ? it just fills up the wheel, and doesn?t lube the bearings! And makes a mess?..

I?m sure others can add more?.;)
Click to expand...

Actually my grease fitting works fine.

After about 125 hours, my tailwheel bearings went totally bad. I replaced them and realized that I could pack the center, between the bearings with grease. Now I attach the grease gun to the fitting, give about two pumps, and the grease is displaced thru the bearings.

Wipe up the extra and good to go!

Karl
 
RV's attract bugs in flight, we need to develop RV bug repellent. ;)

The wheel pants are so low to the ground you need to carry your own chocks.

Parking brakes should be standard equipment.
 
Last edited:
RV's Come with a Community

One of the great things I discovered about RV ownership, is that building and flying the Doll enrolled me in an ever growing community of RV nuts! Doug Reeves has experienced this to the max, but all of us flying soon found that we are included in a special group of pilots and aviators that are ready and willing to come to our aid anywhere in the country. Now that's a good feeling!
 
Danny King said:
One of the great things I discovered about RV ownership, is that building and flying the Doll enrolled me in an ever growing community of RV nuts! Doug Reeves has experienced this to the max, but all of us flying soon found that we are included in a special group of pilots and aviators that are ready and willing to come to our aid anywhere in the country. Now that's a good feeling!
Click to expand...

HERE, HERE!!

But to add to the thread..............gluing the canopy on is much easier than screwing it on or riveting it on..........an evening job only!!
 
Lessons learned

Don't let tip up canopy struts get weak... It will hurt when the canopy gets you......
 
*Every task will take 2-3 times as long as you think it should

* If the task involves a deviation from the plans, it will take 4-6 times as long as you think it should

*There is no such thing as an adjustment that only affects a single component

*You are never completely "done" building your RV until you sell it

regards

erich
 
Things they don?t tell you about RV?s (but you learn after 800 hours of operation?)

If you don?t use the right sealer on your fuel sender on that aerobatic tank with the flop tube, Your going to have to pull the tank a few hundred hours later so you can try again. :(
 
You must log in or register to reply here.