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Spin Question

GHARBEN

Active Member
I noticed that Van’s warns about intentional spins. I have spun Cubs many times. Question:
Do RV 4’s spin safely? N12HR has O 320 with a wooden prop. It stalls very benign at about 45 indicated clean.
Thanks
G Harben
N12HR
O 320 / Sensenich Wood Prop
 
The 4 spins just fine and recovery is straight forward. The 7 spins fine but the 6 with the original rudder spins right up and recovers slower. If you do try it get up to several thousand feet. The speed at which it spins will take you by surprise the first time. It IS NOT slow and docile like the cub. I don't recommend it unless you are quite current in spin recovery and have lots of altitude and I mean like around 8000 ft. AGL to start with.
 
the RV-4 spins, and more importantly, recovers just fine. I did 3 turn spins during my phase 1 testing and had a great time doing them. its very predictable and just releasing the spin inputs starts the recovery. with positive spin recovery input it recovers very quickly and predictably.

bob burns
RV-4 N82RB
 
RV-4 spins

Having spun my RV-4 hundreds of times, upright and inverted during practice and competition, I was a little apprehensive the first time. It didn’t respond like other aircraft I had spun before (Aeronica Champ, Cap 10, S2B Pitts). I first started the spin, and recovered as soon as it started which recovered in less than one turn. On the following spins I delayed the recovery until about 2 turns. This is when you realize that the RV-4 does not want to spin because it doesn’t have a lot of rudder. For my airplane and within acro weight and CG, any time the spin controls are relaxed, it’ll start to come out of it. The first turn and ½, the spin is slow, but then it really raps up. With three turns, it takes a whole turn with full opposite rudder and stick forward to recover from the spin. Since I only have to do spins in completion, which is never over 1 ½ turns, I never spin more than this. Here’s a video that Steve Johnson (former IAC safety officer and World US Advanced Team) showed at one of the forums at Oshkosh several years ago about RVs and aerobatics. (32) RV 4 spins - YouTube or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjVj-BN3Dp8 The sunglasses with the cutout at the bottom makes it easier to see the instrument panel.

Bill McLean
RV-4 slider
lower AL:D
 
The 7 spins fine but the 6 with the original rudder spins right up and recovers slower.

I am going to assume that this statement is based on what you have heard and not from personal experience?

The larger rudder that was offered for the RV-7 was to improve the spin recovery and get it back to being similar to that of the RV-6, not to make it better than the RV-6.
 
I am going to assume that this statement is based on what you have heard and not from personal experience?
The larger rudder that was offered for the RV-7 was to improve the spin recovery and get it back to being similar to that of the RV-6, not to make it better than the RV-6.

Actually in early 1993 we did spin test in my -6. We found that after about 1 1/2 turns, the spin rate increased quite rapidly and recovery took about 1 1/2 turns.
We did 6 turns each direction.
If I remember correctly this was before Van had Bob Herendeen conduct spin tests in the factory airplane.
 
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How about an 8?? Anybody got info on that?? I'm totally familiar with "pare", But I'm afraid to do spins intentionally. Would like to do it, but I always hold off.:(
 
How about an 8?? Anybody got info on that?? I'm totally familiar with "pare", But I'm afraid to do spins intentionally. Would like to do it, but I always hold off.:(

Get lessons.
My primary instructor insisted on teaching spin (with chutes strapped on).
It wasn't so bad... though I did throw up on short final on our return (fortunately was prepared with a ziplock).

-c
 
Actually in early 1993 we did spin test in my -6. We found that after about 1 1/2 turns, the spin rate increased quite rapidly and recovery took about 1 1/2 turns.
We did 6 turns each direction.
If I remember correctly this was before Van had Bob Herendeen conduct spin tests in the factory airplane.

:confused::confused::confused:

Mel, my comment was in regards to the implied difference between the RV-6 and RV-7 spin recovery. The implication was that the RV7 spin recovery is better/quicker. My point is that statement is wrong.
The larger Rudder was offered to early RV-7 empennage kit purchasers, after spin testing was done on the RV-7 at a later date and showed that it’s spin recovery characteristics we’re not quite as good as they were for the RV-6.
Yes, the spin rotation rate of the RV six and RV seven is quite fast if allowed to progress out to three turns or more. It is for this reason that vans has never recommended recreational spinning in either of the airplanes beyond 1 turn or so, because the rotation rate is rapid enough to potentially panic uninitiated pilots.
Sorry for the further thread drift, but I felt the proper information regarding the 6 and 7was important.
 
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:confused::confused::confused:

Mel, my comment was in regards to the implied difference between the RV-6 and RV-7 spin recovery. The implication was that the RV7 spin recovery is better/quicker. My point is that statement is wrong.
The larger Rudder was offered to early RV-7 empennage kit purchasers, after spin testing was done on the RV-7 at a later date and showed that it’s spin recovery characteristics we’re not quite as good as they were for the RV-6.
Yes, the spin rotation rate of the RV six and RV seven is quite fast if allowed to progress out to three turns or more. It is for this reason that vans has never recommended recreational spending in either of the airplanes beyond 1 turn or so, because the rotation rate is rapid enough to potentially panic uninitiated pilots.
Sorry for the further thread drift, but I felt the proper information regarding the 6 and 7was important.

I was under the impression that Vans's was 100% on board with recreational spending
 
The spins that I mentioned were from personal experience not hearsay!

Not our experience based on detailed flight testing.

If it were, we probably would have avoided all of the expense of supplying a new rudder to everyone that had received an RV-7 emp. kit with the RV-8 rudder.
 
I think you mean RV-9 rudder.

The "RV-7/7A Larger Rudder" SB:

(Although the RV-8 rudder may be a better choice for the RV-7s, for other than spin recovery reasons.)

Not sure what you mean…

I was talking about the rudder that came in the first emp. kits.
The early RV-7 emp. kits had an RV-8 rudder.

After the spin testing of a customer built RV-7A (the original prototype was an RV-7), the RV-9 rudder was substituted.
 
I am going to assume that this statement is based on what you have heard and not from personal experience?

The larger rudder that was offered for the RV-7 was to improve the spin recovery and get it back to being similar to that of the RV-6, not to make it better than the RV-6.

curious if the spin and recovery traits were the same or improved on the later 6's that came with the 8 rudder.

Larry
 
How about an 8?? Anybody got info on that?? I'm totally familiar with "pare", But I'm afraid to do spins intentionally. Would like to do it, but I always hold off.:(

Spins just fine and recovers with any known technique I tried including pare. Max I tried was 47 turns (http://www.spatscheck.com/oliver/Spin.mp4) . Having that said if you need to ask the question you probably should get some training before trying it yourself.

Oliver
 
curious if the spin and recovery traits were the same or improved on the later 6's that came with the 8 rudder.

Larry

It was spin tested after being retrofitted with the RV-8 vertical stab and rudder, and before adding the wing extensions and different wing tips, to establish a base line but I don't remember any specifics about what the results were.
 
Thanks to everyone!
Over the years I have dealt with support of most every brand of certified aircraft. When I bought N12HR I had concerns about an buying experimental aircraft. WOW was I wrong. N12HR has very high quality construction and well thought out design.
But support?
Best support imaginal! Just look at these answers to my original question.
Truly Amazing!
Love to fly - get an RV and join Van's Airforce!
Thanks again!
G Harben
N12HR
RV 4 / O320 / Sensenich Wood Prop
 
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