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Message
Greetings,
I've sent off my order for
an RV-3B kit, with the intention of making it Sport Pilot compliant. After
searching the new kits that are, or will be available in that category, I just
wasn't happy with anything I saw. It just seems like all the new planes
are coming out of the same mold, SBS seating, nose gear, 912S engine,
etc. Since I almost never carry passengers anyway, and
currently have an RV-8 at my disposal as well, the RV-3B is just a great
choice.
The more I thought about
it, the more I realized that the RV-3 should be able to make LSA standards
fairly easily. The weight is certainly not an issue, and the stall speed
shouldn't be either (though it will be close). The big issue is keeping the speed
below the 120kt limit for Vh (top speed at max continuous rated power), but with
the right engine, no wheel pants, climb prop, I think this should be very doable
as well. Even that limit should allow 150 mph TAS at altitude, which is
plenty for the type flying I do.
The biggest choice to
make is the engine. Overall, the plane will be built as light as
possible, with very basic systems. Van's allows 100-200HP engines,
but there's very little data on engines below 125 HP. I'm
currently looking at the O-200 and O-235, but the
single rotor engine is also still very much in the running (so to speak).
I've said that using
stock housings would make it too heavy to work in the 912S designs,
but that it would work well in aircraft made for conventional aircraft engines
in the 100-125 range. The problem is getting an honest 100-125 HP at
6000 rpm (the rpm limit of the redrive damper). The solution will be
either a new damper, or more likely "unnatural aspiration" as our long lost
buddy Leon would say.
Another plus for the single
rotor is that I would be the engine manufacturer, and would set the "maximum
continuous power rating" used for the Vh speed. It's easy to imagine
setting a 2-3 psi limit for continuous boost, but yet be able to go much higher
for a limited time. This could be quite reasonable in fact, particularly
if I don't have an intercooler.
I'll have lots of time to
think about all this before I have to make a decision. In the mean time,
I'll get back to work tinkering with the single rotor, while I wait for the
kit.
Any bets on whether this
will be flying before Tracy flies his RV-8 :-)
Cheers,
Rusty
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