(This article was
written by Van’s Aircraft, Inc. and emailed to me.)
With
increasing frequency, prospective buyers of flying RVs are calling Van’s
Aircraft, Inc. for advice. This puts us
in a difficult position. With very few
exceptions, we’ve never seen the airplane in question and know virtually
nothing about it, its equipment, construction quality, or history.
Our
business is airframe kits and the airframe is only part of an airplane. We are not in the business of inspecting,
brokering or judging finished aircraft. We can not recommend for or against the
purchase of any particular airplane, or offer any opinion about the builder.
That
said, here’s a few suggestions derived from our
experience:
If
you are buying a flying RV, it must have all the pertinent paperwork: Airworthiness Certificate, Registration,
Weight and Balance, and, because it is registered in the Experimental category,
a set of Operating Limitations specific to this one airplane.
In
addition, regulations require an Operator’s Handbook. This handbook is the responsibility of the
aircraft builder/owner/test pilot.
Because an RV might be fitted with almost any engine, propeller,
avionics and other equipment imaginable (and sometimes, equipment Van’s never
imagined!) the data needed to compile the Operator’s Handbook must be derived
by flight test of the specific airplane.
Similarly,
the almost infinite possibilities prevent Van’s from supplying a Maintenance
Manual. Van’s does strongly suggest that
the plans and builder’s manual used during construction remain with the
airplane. Also, copies of the builder’s
log and photo record would prove very useful for any future maintenance and
repair.
Radios,
instruments, engine accessories, etc., all come with installation and operation
manuals. These should be included with
the airplane – much of the information in them can be found nowhere else.
A prospective buyer should insist on receiving all
these documents in good order.
RVs
are built the same way the vast majority of certified airplanes are built. The airframes are largely aluminum, with some
steel components. Composite materials are used in some areas like the cowl,
wing tips and wheel fairings. They are
powered with the same Lycoming engines found in Cessnas,
Pipers, etc. The standards for
acceptable construction quality of aluminum airplanes and safe Lycoming engine
installations are well established, and any mechanic or inspector familiar with
production light aircraft should be able to competently inspect an RV.
Over
the years, Van’s Aircraft has issued Service Bulletins for most RV types. Copies of these are available from Van’s
Aircraft, and posted on Van’s website www.vansaircraft.com. These Service Bulletins have been issued for
a reason, and, although Van’s has no way of knowing if a particular airplane is
in compliance, it would be foolish to ignore or postpone acting upon them.
A prospective buyer should schedule a complete
airframe inspection with a trusted mechanic.
It
is important to realize that in an Experimental airplane, there is no such thing
as a “standard” engine installation. Builders may choose any engine, engine
accessory or component they desire. For
instance, some RVs have gascolators, some have inline
fuel filters, some have no provision for fuel
filtering at all.
RVs
are designed around Lycoming engines, although kit builders are free to put in
any engine they like. Lycoming engine
installation is very straightforward and any mechanic or inspector familiar
with production light aircraft should be able to inspect the engine and related
systems.
It
is possible that a flying RV may be equipped with a Lycoming engine that is not
appropriate for the airframe. For
instance, Van’s has never recommended the 200 hp IO-360 for the RV-4 or
RV-6/6A. Some builders have installed
this engine anyway. Prospective buyers
should familiarize themselves with the potential drawbacks of bigger, heavier,
more powerful engines. These include
increased stress on the airframe and landing gear, as well as the potential for
loadings and speeds outside design limits.
If
the engine is anything other than a Lycoming, then it is likely that the
builder had to design and install many of his own systems (Van’s does not
supply components for anything other than Lycomings). Not only the engine, but the engine mount,
cowling, cooling system, fuel, and ignition systems, in particular, should be
inspected with great care.
A prospective buyer should schedule a complete
engine/system inspection with a trusted mechanic.
RVs
are not difficult to fly, but the characteristics of a small, quick airplane
with a low aspect ratio wing and a lot of power are
quite different than many production aircraft.
We highly recommend Transition Training specific to RVs, even for
experienced pilots. Insurance companies
may insist on it as well
Click
on RV Flight Training (see Van’s website www.vansaircraft.com)
for more details about Transition Training.
A prospective buyer should do everything he can to
familiarize himself with RV flying and handling qualities.
One
of the big advantages of an Experimental airplane is that the builder may
receive a Repairman’s Certificate. This
document allows him to sign off all necessary maintenance and repair on this
one airplane. This privilege does NOT go
with the airplane if it is sold. It
remains with the builder. The new owner
must have condition inspections, maintenance and repairs signed off by an
Airframe and Powerplant certificate holder, or by the
holder of the Repairman’s Certificate.
The owner without these credentials can perform some regular maintenance
items, just as with certified aircraft.
Check the
Van’s
Aircraft, Inc. does not offer assistance on repair or maintenance.
A prospective buyer should study and understand the
maintenance history of the aircraft, and what he is permitted to do.
If
you’ve bought a completed RV, there are a few things you should do shortly
after.
1.
Notify Van’s
Aircraft in writing, with the builder’s number of the airplane, a copy of the
bill of sale, and all the pertinent information – your name, address, contact
information, etc. This will allow us to
keep accurate records – a good thing if we must issue a Service Bulletin, for
example.
2.
Do your own
weight and balance, following the directions in the Builder’s Manual.
3.
Learn your
airplane. Take the cowl off and learn
the routing, position and operation of the various systems. Remove the seat pans and learn how the
control linkages work. Remove the wheel
fairings and learn how to change a tire or brake pad.
4.
Get Transition
Training.
5.
Practice.
A
prospective buyer should understand that the airplane he is considering is
unique. It is up to him to acquire the
skills and knowledge to operate it safely and enjoyably.