Ian Findlay
I'm New Here
My RV8 has the heavy IO 360A1B6 200 hp engine and heavy Hartzell CS prop.
Empty weight is 1111 lbs and empty C of G is 77.17.
My weight is 200 lbs and solo I fly with 30 lbs ballast in rear baggage floor to avoid running out of elevator control during flare (round out) from a full flap steep approach into our short sod strip. (solo landings are tidy)
This ballast, and full back stick, also prevents tail lifting and therefore prop damage during engine run up that can happen in a very fwd. C of G configuration if pilot is careless.
A question of long time owners: It is very rare for me to carry a passenger and with far aft (but within limits) landings I have made some far less than pretty arrivals.
Fifty odd years ago I was taught full stall landings and no "wheelers"
Perhaps this has returned to bite me as it seems that the RV8 cannot be "stalled on" because the tail wheel touches before the stall occurs.
My solution, tested today, is to securely ballast the passengers seat to get C of G legally well aft and to use a slightly higher approach speed AND use a ?wheeler? tail high landing attitude. This was much tidier! Comment please?
Ian Findlay. From Downunder.
Empty weight is 1111 lbs and empty C of G is 77.17.
My weight is 200 lbs and solo I fly with 30 lbs ballast in rear baggage floor to avoid running out of elevator control during flare (round out) from a full flap steep approach into our short sod strip. (solo landings are tidy)
This ballast, and full back stick, also prevents tail lifting and therefore prop damage during engine run up that can happen in a very fwd. C of G configuration if pilot is careless.
A question of long time owners: It is very rare for me to carry a passenger and with far aft (but within limits) landings I have made some far less than pretty arrivals.
Fifty odd years ago I was taught full stall landings and no "wheelers"
Perhaps this has returned to bite me as it seems that the RV8 cannot be "stalled on" because the tail wheel touches before the stall occurs.
My solution, tested today, is to securely ballast the passengers seat to get C of G legally well aft and to use a slightly higher approach speed AND use a ?wheeler? tail high landing attitude. This was much tidier! Comment please?
Ian Findlay. From Downunder.