Our RV-3B was completed and first flown in December of 2011 after a two and a half year build. Phase 1 testing was completed in early 2012, and it spent about seven weeks in the April/May at GLO Custom being painted by Grady, Brandon, and their airbrush artist collaborator Scott ?Shark? Draper. The design is inspired by the fictional Ikran?s of the movie Avatar ? flying creatures which literally become one with their rider and make flight in three dimensions nearly effortless. That is, in fact, what it is like to fly the RV-3, and we are extremely happy with the results. ?Tsamsiyu? is the word for Warrior in the Navi language created for the movie, and we refer to the airplane as ?Tsam? for brevity. This was Paul?s second complete RV build, and a first for Louise ? it was a great learning experience for both, and we found the challenge of Van?s most ?primitive? kit to be an excellent match for both of us.
The airplane was configured for two different missions, and is therefore a compromise of sorts. Our needs are for a solo flying machine with IFR capability and good speed, while at the same time we wanted a fun and nimble machine for recreational flying. This aircraft was also designed to be a test bed of sorts for avionics and advanced engine features. It needed comfortable seating with a cockpit that could be inhabited for hours at a time, and this added weight and complexity that makes it unlike its much lighter, purely-recreational RV-3?s. As delighted as we are with the handling of this wonderful RV-3, we are told that for a real treat, we need to try a light one someday - and as incredibly nimble as we find Tsam to be, I look forward to anything that could be even better still.
The airplane is equipped with a Mattituck red/Gold IO-320 built from all-Lycoming components. It is equipped with eh Silverhawk fuel injection system and Dual P-Mags firing automotive spark plugs. The propeller is the three-blade Whirlwind 151 with the late-model steel-ferule blades and the high-pressure Jihostro governor. We equipped the powerplant with what is referred to as a ?Half Raven? inverted system which amounts to a large oil tank that conserves breather-oil during inverted flight and routes it back into the sump. We elected not to install the three-way valve for full inverted capability due t limitations of space and the need for sustained inverted flight.
The cockpit was designed around the G3X avionics stack, a comfortable Oregon Aero seat, and having enough storage to keep things organized on a long day of flying. The side consoles were a result of choosing the DJM Deluxe Throttle Quadrant (with a ?Fatboy? pistol grip), then using that as a width and height standard. The switch/circuit breaker panel on the right was made to mirror the quadrant. The resulting consoles provide good storage for maps-sized objects, and have cushioned arm-rests. The center avionics stack solved the problem of where to put the radios on such a small panel. The use of the G3X drastically reduced the weight of the panel itself, and the backup instruments were chosen for lightweight. LED lighting is used for night operations. The canopy handle was built so that ?forward? is locked ? opposite from the plans, but more consistent with other aircraft. The baggage area behind the seat was fitted with 0.016? aluminum side panels to hide wiring and keep baggage from interfering with the rudder cables.
The aircraft systems include all-LED lighting from AeroLED (Pulsar strobe/Nav lights and Aerosun 1600 Landing lights). The Garmin G3X EFIS interfaces with the engine, fuel system, and autopilot to provide intelligent information to the pilot. The avionics stack includes a Garmin 430W for IFR navigation, an SL-40 as a second Comm radio, GTX 330 transponder that provides traffic information, and a GMA 240 audio panel. XM audio and Weather is provided as part of the G3X installation. Backup instruments consist of a Tru Trak ADI and traditional 2 ? ?? ASI and Altimeter. The electrical system includes a diode-isolated dual-bus configuration that powers all critical loads simultaneously without switching, allowing seamless power transfer in the case of a bus shutdown. The essential bus can be powered form the auxiliary battery for engine start, allowing EFIS power-up and monitoring before the engine is running. The Tru track GXPilot autopilot is likewise dual-powered, and interfaces with the EFIS as designed. Critical functions for navigation and communication are located on the Infinity stick grip.
The airframe is built per plans with a few exceptions . A Todd?s Canopies ?tall-man? bubble (tinted) replaced the stock canopy for added headroom. In addition, variations were made in building custom fiberglass cowl cheek extensions with built-in storage compartments, a custom-molded canopy skirt, and hand-made empennage fairing. The tail wheel fork is a high-clearance ?Bell? style, and a lightweight DJM tail wheel was installed to keep the CG farther forward. The Odyssey PC-680 battery is located behind the pilot?s seat , laying down under a custom enclosure. A welded steel roll bar was installed behind the pilot?s head, custom made for the installation. The flaps were converted from manual to electric with a special torque tube made my McCutcheon Metalworks ? they made us a special one without the lever, and with a mounting tab for a linear actuator. This was done to free the cockpit from the manual lever. The Oregon Aero seats were modified from their stock design template by adding a couple of inches to the height and with the addition of seat heating elements. Natural sheepskin was used for the seating surface for comfort when it is both cool and hot. A custom Micro-Softie parachute with sheepskin pad and purple webbing to match the Crow harness was part of the initial buy, to encourage use of the chute during testing. It is as comfortable as the regular seat back.
Overall, Tsamsiyu has proven to be everything that we hoped for ? a fun machine that travels well with one aboard. It is certainly at the heavy end of the RV-3 lineage, and we knew that would be the case going in. In fact, our future projects list includes a potential ?bare bones? -3?.just to see the difference!
Paul