Does anyone actually do 2 person aerobatics in a 6? How do you get training?

[nickw9815]

I’d love to learn aerobatics in my 6a (rolls, loops, etc), but I only have enough useful load for me (165lbs), and 20g of fuel. Even with 5g of fuel, I could only fly with a kid. And that’s not including parachutes.

So, do people learn aerobatics in a different plane and then just do solo aerobatics in a 6?

Or for 1g maneuvers (like rolls), do people go above the 1375 aerobatic gross weight?

Or are people and their plane light than me? My planes empty weight is 1091.

 

[Ironflight]

We just dont ever fly aerobatics in our -6 (serial number 0004 with a 1600 lb MGW) - but we’ve got a -3 and an -8 to scratch that itch.

Good on you for asking the obvious question that many people simply avoid!

 

[ronrapp]

I’d love to learn aerobatics in my 6a (rolls, loops, etc), but I only have enough useful load for me (165lbs), and 20g of fuel. Even with 5g of fuel, I could only fly with a kid. And that’s not including parachutes.

So, do people learn aerobatics in a different plane and then just do solo aerobatics in a 6?

Or for 1g maneuvers (like rolls), do people go above the 1375 aerobatic gross weight?

Or are people and their plane light than me? My planes empty weight is 1091.

You hit on both the problem and the ways some people tackle it: Some only fly aerobatics solo. Some don't fly acro at all. Some people fly aerobatics above the designer's recommended aerobatic maximum gross weight while trying to limit the acceleration to a less than 6g. A simple aileron or barrel roll is one such example.

I don't recommend that approach; for one thing, who knows where the load factor and weight intersect to exceed the structural capability of the aircraft? For another, the concern isn't necessarily the stress imposed on the airframe during a perfectly flown figure, but rather what might happen if the maneuver was botched. One particular characteristic of the RV series is that they pick up speed very quickly when pointed toward the ground. That rapidly works against you when recovering from nose-low unusual attitudes.

In 15+ years of teaching aerobatics, I've learned that when a figure is botched and the view out the window is more ground than sky, most pilot's natural tendency is to "split-S" out the bottom of the figure, which leads to airspeeds and accelerations that go beyond the redline.

If you need instruction, I'd suggest learning in a different aircraft. The RV6 is a phenomenal aircraft, but like all airplanes, it has its limits.

My RV6 with an EW of 1079 lbs can handle me, one of my kids, a very limited amount of fuel and still be right at the 1375 lb limit. But two adults? Unfortunately it doesn't work.

--Ron

 

[Pilot135pd]

That's the main reason why I could never get any of that type of training in my RV-8. Of course you'll get people who will say it's ok but I never accepted doing it. I had a local well known RV CFI tell me it's ok and we could do it but since he's no longer with us I won't mention his name.

 

[Jjackh10]

Isn't the 6 designed for +4.4g (utility category) at gross weight? Most people posting about aerobatics on here say they use 3.5g's for loops. Botched maneuvers in training would still be a concern.