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A few questions.....newbie

E

Ex Bonanza Bucko

Well Known Member
I am an newbie and thinking seriously about either an S-LSA from Vans or an E-LSA professionally built. I have read the operating docs and POH but I have a few questions. These will be answered when I go to Van's to fly an RV 12 but I'd like to know some of this stuff in advance. My years and years of Bonanza, C-182, C-140, PA-17 and Aeronca flying will require me to retrain myself quite a bit.

So: 1.) Is there a fuel quantity display on the 10" Skyview? The POH says to check the fuel quantity in preflight in two places, at the tank and after turning the Skyview on. So how is that done?
2.) The max cross wind component is shown as 11 its. I am used to having to land with a crosswind of about 15 knots or a little more. How big a problem will that be using normal cross wind procedures.....no flaps and a little more speed for Mama and the kids?
3.)Has there been a problem with the landing gear...is it weak in a cross wind touchdown?
4.)Does Vans need to approve addition of such things as hand held GPS and an Accelerometer?
5.)How serious is the "high sink rate" with full flaps and no engine power?


I'm sure there will be more.

Thanks,

EBB
 
Ex Bonanza Bucko said:
I am an newbie and thinking seriously about either an S-LSA from Vans or an E-LSA professionally built. I have read the operating docs and POH but I have a few questions. These will be answered when I go to Van's to fly an RV 12 but I'd like to know some of this stuff in advance. My years and years of Bonanza, C-182, C-140, PA-17 and Aeronca flying will require me to retrain myself quite a bit.

So: 1.) Is there a fuel quantity display on the 10" Skyview? The POH says to check the fuel quantity in preflight in two places, at the tank and after turning the Skyview on. So how is that done?
2.) The max cross wind component is shown as 11 its. I am used to having to land with a crosswind of about 15 knots or a little more. How big a problem will that be using normal cross wind procedures.....no flaps and a little more speed for Mama and the kids?
3.)Has there been a problem with the landing gear...is it weak in a cross wind touchdown?
4.)Does Vans need to approve addition of such things as hand held GPS and an Accelerometer?
5.)How serious is the "high sink rate" with full flaps and no engine power?


I'm sure there will be more.

Thanks,

EBB
Click to expand...

Bruce,

Welcome to the experimental universe! :) You will be amazed, sometimes even baffled by the degree of freedom we have even with LSA's after you have spent 31 years with a Bonanza.

To begin feedback on your questions:

1) Yes, the Skyview has fuel quantity indicator in the main display. Just fire up the system as part of the preflight and fuel will be indicated. The RV-12 also has a mechanical indicator.

2) Normal crosswind techniques work fine with the RV-12. But you won't be able to fit Mama and the kids in the plane at the same time.

3) The gear works fine under all conditions that fit within the designed performance envelope.

4) You may use any hand-held device you wish.

5) All RVs have a higher power-off sink rate than a C175, Warrior, etc. But you will quickly acclimate and this should not be an issue for an experienced pilot with proper transition training.

Enjoy!
 
You will also have fuel flow, fuel totalizer, inflight crosswind display, DA shown, HSI, synthetic vision, sophisticated AP, graphic engine, full data downloads, things that would cost many thousands more on a Bonanza. Check out the Dynon site, you can download the manuals. Power off sink is not a problem at all, in fact you will become proficient at slipping if you operate off of a short field. You can add AOA for about $12.00 in parts (that's right, $12.00).

The Skyview can display and record g forces. Get an ELSA and add whatever you want.

Bill H. Former owner, model V35.
 
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Ex Bonanza Bucko said:
... 4.)Does Vans need to approve addition of such things as ... an Accelerometer?...
Thanks,

EBB
Click to expand...
No need for an accelerometer, it is built into the SkyView. I have mine to display the DG but when you pull over 2 G's it changes to a G-meter and you hear "Gees, Gees" in the headset. As soon as you stop pulling G's it automatically returns to a DG. All those settings are configurable.
 
I normally fly a Cessna 180, similar in characteristics to the 182 you mentioned. I got an excellent demo ride in an RV-12 and was surprised at its flat glide with flaps down. The approach configuration I'm used to in the 180 is power idle, prop set for go-around, full 40 degree flaps and about 70 or 75 mph, slipping into any crosswind. This results in a steep descent; the RV-12 was much flatter.

I can't compare the flaring characteristics, though, sorry. But I felt that a couple hours in the plane and I'd be comfortable with it, and with hard work over a weekend I'd be up to speed on the glass panel. I was mostly concerned about learning the glass panel and the nose wheel -- nearly all my PIC time is in tailwheel aircraft. In fact, that nose wheel was one of the two reasons that ultimately led me to start the RV-3B I'm building now.

Dave
 
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