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Pittsartist

Well Known Member
Greetings fellow 'RV ers !

..... I'm delighted to be able to say that having just bought an RV6 "project" yesterday. :):):)

Briefly, it's an '97 RV6 QB "Slider" with a '320 that's pretty much been in a 16 year time warp. It's barely touched and 3/4 of the boxes are not even opened.

I'm a 1100 hr PPL that currently owns a Pitts S1-S and a Zenair '601 (which the RV will eventually replace when it's finished).

This site is a fantastic resource, I'm sure I'll be wearing a "rut" into the internet as I continually visit in the coming months.

Just a couple of quick questions I can't seem to answer with forum searches.

1) (I was the surviving half of a fatal "mid air" 18 months ago. Part of the deal with my wife to start flying again afterwards was to ALWAYS wear a parachute. ) This being the case, how suitable is the "plans" slider RV6 canopy for a quick exit ?. Are there any tried & tested mods to improve the design in this area ?.

2) Right from the outset, I'd like to integrate a facility to carry a folding bike into my aircraft. The plan is for a high quality 16" folder made by Dahoon or Brompton that lives behind the seats on a custom fixture to make it totally secure. Has this been done before ?. Any details / Photos ?.
 
There is forward vacuum on the canopy that makes it almost impossible to open at speed. You will need to make some sort of modification. - what about a ballistic recovery chute? I heard of one being put on an RV.
 
Welcome

A big welcome to VAF and the best RV site on the planet, Richard.

The search function will yield more info on bailouts than you can imagine. So far, there's only been one successful bail and that was from an RV-8 several years ago, with no parachute and yes, it was obviously fatal.

You're the first gent that I can ever recall talking to about his midair survival.

Best,
 
There are a number of post on this forum about the inability to open a slider in flight. You can find them by doing a "search function". You will also find this function a great help in the future as you come across building questions as you proceed with your -6.

There are a number of folding bikes that will fit in the baggage area of your plane. Van's even offered them for sale at one time (they may still offer them, I don't know).

There are a couple of vendors that offer a slider modification kit that allows the slider to also become an aft opening tip-up. I installed this modification on a friends -7 slider, and it made loading large objects in the baggage area easy.
 
Welcome

Maybe you can tell me how to post a new message. I can only reply to messages but, can't seem to find the, "Post a New Message" button. The host, Dan Reeves, doesn't seem to want to reply to my numerous e-mails to him.
 
starduster77 said:
Maybe you can tell me how to post a new message. I can only reply to messages but, can't seem to find the, "Post a New Message" button. The host, Dan Reeves, doesn't seem to want to reply to my numerous e-mails to him.
Click to expand...

If you want to post a reply, click the reply button at the lower left. If you want to include a particular post, click the quote button at the lower right of that post. If you want to start a new thread, you need to enter the subject you want to start the thread in. If you are entering the forum thru "today's posts", you will not see the option for starting a new thread.

As for that Dan Reeves guy........ I have never been able to get ahold of him. We send and send messages and he doesn't respond. It's almost like he doesn't exist. Really!

One time............I was at this party. I heard someone behind me say, "that airplane buider guy needs to lose some weight". I turned around just as the guy dissappeared into the crowd. I didn't see him but I know good and well it was Dan Reeves. Really..........Dan Reeves!

If Dan Reeves doesn't start responding to my messages, I'm going to start sending them to his brother Jim. I know Jim will answer cause I still hear his country music songs on the radio from time to time.

Come on Dan Reeves...........answer your dang mail :p
 
To post a new thread....

go to the forum you wish to post in and click the new thread button near the top.

starduster77 said:
Maybe you can tell me how to post a new message. I can only reply to messages but, can't seem to find the, "Post a New Message" button. The host, Dan Reeves, doesn't seem to want to reply to my numerous e-mails to him.
Click to expand...
 
DaAV8R said:
If you want to post a reply, click the reply button at the lower left. If you want to include a particular post, click the quote button at the lower right of that post. If you want to start a new thread, you need to enter the subject you want to start the thread in. If you are entering the forum thru "today's posts", you will not see the option for starting a new thread.

As for that Dan Reeves guy........ I have never been able to get ahold of him. We send and send messages and he doesn't respond. It's almost like he doesn't exist. Really!

One time............I was at this party. I heard someone behind me say, "that airplane buider guy needs to lose some weight". I turned around just as the guy dissappeared into the crowd. I didn't see him but I know good and well it was Dan Reeves. Really..........Dan Reeves!

If Dan Reeves doesn't start responding to my messages, I'm going to start sending them to his brother Jim. I know Jim will answer cause I still hear his country music songs on the radio from time to time.
Come on Dan Reeves...........answer your dang mail :p
Click to expand...

Robert, I almost pee'd my pants reading your answer. Thanks. Made my day.
And thanks again Dan R for providing this forum stuff. :D

Richard, welcome to VAF.
 
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+1 for DR. This site is a hugely valuable resource. If he wants to be Batman and hide in the shadows, who am I to judge? Just keep the RV world right side up and I'm happy (thanks DR!)
 
Thanks for all the replies people !.

I've been doing some more thread searches with better framed phrases. There is indeed lots of stuff about aircraft abandonment.

To be honest, it always amazes me that so many pilots (oh, and designers .... and the people that regulate them all) look at parachutes as being way down the list of safety priorities.

To me, not wearing one is a bit like setting out to sea in a small boat without a lifejacket on - a simple precaution you will probably never need, but if you do you will sure be glad to be wearing one !. Thousands of lives saved over the years and yet only a handful lost due to wearing one.

As I build my RV I'll be thinking hard about how to improve my chances of getting out from under a "slider" in an abandonment situation. Looks so far like it will be along to lines of removable pins on the front sliders.

Right, ...... off to bash some more rivets !
 
The burning question...

I'm sure that many of us would be interested to hear about your mid air, lessons learned, and what you would do differently. That is, if you are up to discussing it
 
Here's the "official" version of events .......

It happened on the way home after dropping my parachute off for it's annual repack, the 1st time I'd flown without one for 2 years / 200 hrs.

http://www.aaib.gov.uk/cms_resource...VXS Pitts S-2C Pitts Special G-IICI 11-12.pdf

Impact at 1000' to climbing out of the wreckage in 31 seconds, but I still think if we have been wearing 'chutes we would have stood a better chance jumping - just blind luck we walked away.

Maybe the guy in the Taylorcraft could have survived with a 'chute - he never stood a chance as it was.
 
And for what it's worth, here's what I think is worth passing on (assuming you actually wear a parachute and / or fly a Pitts).

1) Jettison the canopy IMMEDIATELY if there is a catastrophic event ? regardless of what you decide to do next.
2) If you elect to stay in the aircraft there is very little time to think from 1000?. Decide almost immediately where you intend to put down and DON?T CHANGE THE PLAN.
3) If you elect to jump at this height there would have to be ZERO hesitation. This is improbable without any parachute experience or training. Therefore if you wear a parachute you should seriously consider undertaking at least a static line jump to learn how to use it and make yourself less likely to hesitate if you ever do need to jump. At the very least, plan and practice your exit drills regularly and ?pull? your parachute YOURSELF each time it is due for a repack.
4) A Pitts with the engine stopped glides differently to one with the engine at tickover. Expect to have a reduced pitch ?feel? and authority. Descent will probably be quicker than you expect and you will be more likely to be ?Short? than ?Long? of your intended touchdown spot. DO NOT try to extend the glide, a stall / spin will almost certainly be fatal. Better to be high and sideslip aggressively if required.

Whatever the emergency you might face, be in no doubt that TRAINING, PLANNING PREPARATION and PRACTICE are key to having the best chance of survival.

It takes a brick 12 seconds to fall 1000' - If you're wearing a parachute, don't hesitate, are well drilled, and have a quick exit method that's enough time.
 
Poor old Dan. Ever since he lost his last coaching job, he has been hard to get in touch with, almost like a recluse or something.
 
How tough is it to convert to tip-up?

I am building a 7A tip-up, for the very reason that the canopy can be jettisoned easily and quickly. I know the 7A slider can be converted to a tip-up, with the degree of difficulty being dependent on the construction progress. I would assume, but do not know, that the 6 can be converted as well; have you considered that option?
 
To be honest, I'm absolutely flat out getting things moved / bought / stored & made just to get the project rolling, so the exact method for canopy ejection will have to wait for the time being.

Based on a quick look, I think the removal of AN3 bolts on the front sliders looks to be the favorite strategy.

I'm wondering if something could be done with a mini Co2 cartridge (as used to inflate cycle tyres) to speed up the process - but realistically I'm at least a year from having to decide anything.

More pressing matters at the moment are lorry hire and storage arrangements
 
quick release

i was just reviewing the RV-14. and it has an improved canopy release mech. worth looking into. Vans has the parts or will have once production ramps up. Ben Lane
 
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