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Paul Dye flies the RV-15

ksauce said:
Sure would be unfortunate if he accidentally posted some cruise numbers.
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Well it wouldn’t be fair because I haven’t been exploring top speeds - the new fuselage design (not yet built) has a lot of drag cleanups incorporated into it. So there wasn’t much of a reason to explore that end of the envelope since it wouldn’t be representative of the final airplane. I can say that the current ship is clearly faster than the other IO-390 bush plane I was flying recently, and does way better than our Dream Tundra with an IO-360, a very similar-sized aircraft.

Most of our work has been on handling - stability and control - and landing characteristics.
 
Ironflight said:
Well it wouldn’t be fair because I haven’t been exploring top speeds - the new fuselage design (not yet built) has a lot of drag cleanups incorporated into it. So there wasn’t much of a reason to explore that end of the envelope since it wouldn’t be representative of the final airplane. I can say that the current ship is clearly faster than the other IO-390 bush plane I was flying recently, and does way better than our Dream Tundra with an IO-360, a very similar-sized aircraft.

Most of our work has been on handling - stability and control - and landing characteristics.
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Your journalistic integrity is killing me, smalls!
 
Ironflight said:
Ha! Truth is, its mostly my engineering sense that just deals in verifiable “facts” that informs my journalistic sense….. 😉
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You're missing the fun. Not too long ago, the story might have been "Looped it, rolled it, found the phugoid response to be two cycles from a 20 knot disturbance. Handled a gusty, 30 knot crosswind with no problem and the fuel tanks had more in 'em when I landed than when I departed."
 
Kyle Boatright said:
You're missing the fun. Not too long ago, the story might have been "Looped it, rolled it, found the phugoid response to be two cycles from a 20 knot disturbance. Handled a gusty, 30 knot crosswind with no problem and the fuel tanks had more in 'em when I landed than when I departed."
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I really am hoping the 15 can be looped and rolled.
 
The article says they're still working on the fuselage center section. Maybe there's time for them to reconsider accommodating a seat or two in the back (for those flights where you don't plan on hauling an Elk).
 
FlyNSoCal said:
The article says they're still working on the fuselage center section. Maybe there's time for them to reconsider accommodating a seat or two in the back (for those flights where you don't plan on hauling an Elk).
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July 3rd Vans posted a short of a flight with the new tail and fuse(?).
 
Ironflight said:
New tail cone - that’s what I was flying last weekend. The re-lofted fuselage will come sometime after Oshkosh.
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That revision will have (per Vans updates) a new wing + new tail cone + new fuselage, so is it essentially a new plane, apart from the landing gear and engine?
 
PaulvS said:
That revision will have (per Vans updates) a new wing + new tail cone + new fuselage, so is it essentially a new plane, apart from the landing gear and engine?
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The current wing is expected to be the “final” wing, and it flies very well - the flaps are wonderful. Tail is mostly final as I understand it. Fuselage is the major thing remaining, and that shouldn’t significantly affect handling - but will probably be faster.
 
Jvon811 said:
"Re-lofted" fuselage? As in a fuselage that could fit 2 people in the back?
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I doubt it (the two people in back) - “lofting” is an old draftsman term going back to boat-builders, and essentially means “re-drawing”.

The baggage area is plenty big, but not really tall enough for people - except kids…you could probably figure out child seats.

BTW - One thing folks don’t think about when it comes to four-seaters is insurance. Liability insurance basically doubles when you go from two to four seats, and if you are goign to have provisions for four seats, you’ll have to insure it that way - even though you might almost never carry a one back there, you’ll be paying double insurance forever. We found that out with our Tundra - it’s a four seats airplane but I think we’ve had the rear seats in once or twice - I carried someone back there once, and so did Louise. Yet we’ve paid liability insurance for the capability for seven years. It adds up! So be careful what you wish for…..
 
Ironflight said:
I doubt it (the two people in back) - “lofting” is an old draftsman term going back to boat-builders, and essentially means “re-drawing”.

The baggage area is plenty big, but not really tall enough for people - except kids…you could probably figure out child seats.

BTW - One thing folks don’t think about when it comes to four-seaters is insurance. Liability insurance basically doubles when you go from two to four seats, and if you are goign to have provisions for four seats, you’ll have to insure it that way - even though you might almost never carry a one back there, you’ll be paying double insurance forever. We found that out with our Tundra - it’s a four seats airplane but I think we’ve had the rear seats in once or twice - I carried someone back there once, and so did Louise. Yet we’ve paid liability insurance for the capability for seven years. It adds up! So be careful what you wish for…..
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I’ll be curious how the -15 compares to the Glastar or Glasair Sportsman, as they seem to be comparable aircraft on paper.
 
Ironflight said:
The current wing is expected to be the “final” wing, and it flies very well - the flaps are wonderful. Tail is mostly final as I understand it. Fuselage is the major thing remaining, and that shouldn’t significantly affect handling - but will probably be faster.
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I can't wait to get the real world cruising speed of the RV15. There are many high-wing options in the EAB and the certificate world. The relative high cruising speed, if can be achieved, will be one of the main advantages of this airplane.
 
edhunter said:
I’ll be curious how the -15 compares to the Glastar or Glasair Sportsman, as they seem to be comparable aircraft on paper.
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Hopefully, the RV will handle much better, and be slower on the low end, while keeping similar cruise numbers!
 
Full Throttle said:
Why is the right elevator higher then the left? Is it trimmed that way for roll or P factor? Pretty obvious at 2:50 on the video.
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What you are seeing is that the trim tab (left elevator) is in the full "nose-up" position and obviously out of the picture.
 
Full Throttle said:
I understand that Mel. But even he tips don't look even. Maybe just camera angle.
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I had to go look at Rian’s video to see what you’re talking about - and I see what you’re seeing - but Mel hit it right - the trim tab s full span on the one elevator, and it is deflected fully “down” (nose up), so the trailing edge is not visible. I haven’t notice any asymmetry in the elevators when preflighting it at any rate. I think it’s camera angle, and not seeing the extreme tip of the port elevator.
 
Not anymore about the plane, but have to say the latest piece in KP was the most well written article I can recall. Clearly outstanding, Paul, THANKS. It is one to save with the records on the aircraft build. Pretty high bar for future articles though ;).
 
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