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Not To Be Rude - How Fat RU (Aircraft Empty Wt.)

Is Your RV Over Van's Generic Empty Weight +30 lbs

  • RV3 Empty Wt. Greater Than 780 lbs

    Votes: 3 4.8%
  • RV4 Empty Wt. Greater Than 936 lbs

    Votes: 7 11.1%
  • RV6/A Empty Greater Than 1015 lbs

    Votes: 18 28.6%
  • RV7/A Empty Greater Than 1160 lbs

    Votes: 6 9.5%
  • RV8/A Empty Greater Than 1150 lbs

    Votes: 5 7.9%
  • RV9/A Empty Greater Than 1101 lbs

    Votes: 5 7.9%
  • RV10 Empty Greater Than 1640 lbs

    Votes: 12 19.0%
  • RV12 Empty Greater Than 805 lbs

    Votes: 2 3.2%
  • RV14/A Empty Greater Than 1270 lbs

    Votes: 5 7.9%

  • Total voters
    63

gmcjetpilot

Well Known Member
A little survey on Empty Weights The RV Fleet has.
Please full free to punch a selection in Poll and add a comment:

Model: [RV3, 4, 6(A), 7(A), 8(A), 9(A), 10, 12, 14(A)]
Engine/HP: [(I)O320, (I)O360 parallel/angle, (I)O390, (I)O540, Alt Engine]
Prop Fixed or C/S (make model)
Empty Wt. ___________

Thank You for your participation.

For Ref here are Van's generic target Numbers.

Model......Eng/HP..............Prop...............Empty Wt. TW/A-model
RV3.........Lyc 150 HP:.......Fixed..............750 lbs
RV4.........Lyc 160 HP:.......Fixed..............906 lbs
RV6/A......Lyc 160 HP:.......C/S................965/985 lbs
RV7/A......Lyc 200 HP:.......C/S................1114/1130 lbs
RV8/A......Lyc 200 HP:.......C/S................1120/1120 lbs
RV9/A......Lyc 160 HP:.......C/S................1043/1071 lbs
RV10.......Lyc 210-260 HP...C/S...............1580-1630 lbs
RV12.......Rotax 100 HP......Sench Adj.......775 lbs
RV14/A.....Lyc 210 HP........C/S................1225/1240 lbs



Model: ________________
Engine/HP: ________________
Prop Fixed or C/S ________________
Empty Wt. ________________
 
I would challenge any RV-6/A with a constant speed prop weighing under 1,000 lbs.

N168TX was reasonably light at 994 lbs. but that was with a F/P wood prop.
 
RV-4 982 pounds with narrow deck 320, 7 quarts of oil, Catto 3-blade + 20 pound crush plate.
 
RV8
IO360 parallel rated at 185
Fixed pitch Catto
1070 lbs.
The lighter it is, the more delightful it is to fly. So local flying I like 1/2 fuel or less
 
RV6A,
I0-360 A1A 180HP, parallel valve wide deck, Hartzell C/S, Garmin 3X touch system + GTN650, SL30
1130#
 
Model: 7
Engine/HP: IO360 parallel
Prop Fixed Catto 3 blade + 20# plate for CG
Empty Wt. 1133
 
14A
IO-390, 215 hp Thunderbolt
Hartzell C/S composite
1292, with full interior (carpet, side panels, leather seats) and paint (1267 before side panels and paint)
 
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Your poll is lacking anyplace to check for those who are under Van's numbers. Your results should just roughly map the proportions of the models built. I think if you build it the way Van's recommends (simple panel, minimal upholstery) their numbers are quite achievable.

Mine: RV-8A
Engine O-360 A1D
Prop: Catto 3-blade
Empty Weight: 1015 lbs

(no lights or gyros, but full inverted system)
 
Model: RV-6A
Engine/HP: O-320/150HP
Prop: Fixed Sensenich Composite
Empty Wt. 1067
 
Model: RV8
Engine: IO-320B1A
Prop: Hartzell constant speed metal
Empty Weight: 1110 lbs
(painted, and primed inside, full leather interior)
 
RV-3

Model: RV-3A
Engine/HP: 160
Prop Fixed or C/S fixed
Empty Wt. 744

No bells or whistles, VFR, loads of fun.:D
It is possible to do. We followed Van's instructions to the letter.
 
RV7/A
Superior io360/180 hp
Fixed pitch Catto 3 blade
Empty weight 1136

Notes:
Earthx lithium battery
20 pound crush plate behind the prop to balance for the light prop and battery (ouch!)
Full ifr avionics with dual dynon hdx, avidyne ifd540, autopilot
Full classic aero interior with synthetic leather seats, except baggage area is bare metal
Full external paint. Minimal priming of unexposed surfaces.
 
RV-9A
1240 lbs (not fat, just big-boned)

IO320 C/S 2-blade MT
Odyssey 650 x2
lots of paint (3 coats)
lots of leather and stuff (interior)
lots of stuff in the panel
 
Weight......

RV8
IO-360 180HP
MT 3 CS
IFR
Full Paint
1129lbs

Pilot 250..........plus a little..... but, I'm starting a diet next Monday....
 
Big Bones

For all you “Big Bone” people, did you certify your plane at a gross weight higher than Vans’ recommendation?
 
RV-9A, OX-340S, Sensenich GA prop, twin P-Mags, twin SkyView, polished with vinyl stripes - 1,042Lbs.
 
RV9A with IO360 and constant speed - backup alternator and long range tanks. 1110 empty weight.
 
I just missed having to enter my -9A in your poll, and I mean just. If you'd said greater than or equal to 1101 pounds I would have had to confess. I picked up 5.5# from my initial weight with my IFR equipment upgrade earlier this year.

Unfortunately, I personally picked up much more than that in COVID weight. Those pounds will need to go, will be much easier than lightening the plane.
 
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RV6 A1A 0-360 with fixed pitch metal prop.

Empty weight a slightly porky 1125lb.

Clive Whittfield
Auckland
New Zealand
 
Mines a bit porky

RV7A (new style gear)
IO-390
Hartz composite prop
IFR
Full Paint
Full leather interior/heated seats
1203lbs

Luckily-
Me- 6'"4 175lbs
GF- 5"8" 120lbs
 
Svelt..no plump

My 8 is full up IFR, dual or triple lots of things, excellent smoke, paint, interior, XPIO360, etc, etc, and I'm a very svelt 523.45 Kilo’s.
 
For all you “Big Bone” people, did you certify your plane at a gross weight higher than Vans’ recommendation?

I did mine + 100 (1900lbs). With full tanks and my GF and I we care still 1750 before luggage. If I were to take my dad it's right at gross with full tanks (no luggage) so it allows us to take some bags too if going on a XC
 
RV7a
0360
Catto 3 blade prop
Anti-splat nose gear mod
No paint paint on metal wings, fuselage. No carpet, and cloth seats
Basic VFR Dynon panel
1035 lbs...but gained a few lbs over time with carpet, etc.
 
RV-10
Paint, decent interior but not luxury car worthy, etc, etc
1650lbs — so I’m pretty close to Vans target which is on the low side of practical IMO since almost no one builds a 10 to be a spartan VFR bug smasher
 
RV-9A

IO-320-D1A
MT C/S
No paint
Classic Aero leather seats and full carpet kit
Garmin: big screen, little screen, autopilot, and the rest of the vfr goodies
1104 lbs.
 
Last edited:
RV-7

First RV-7. Parallel valve 360 WW RV200 prop 1133 with paint.

New RV-7 IO390, WW RV74 prop. Full IFR, Classic Aero interior 1178 before paint. 1200 with paint. Flies fantastic.
 
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