Van's RV-6A Side by die twin seat home built kit aeroplanes. XAV 4877-457
The RV-6 made its first flight in 1985. When all the flight testing was done, Van was delighted to find that despite the wide fuselage, it was only three miles per hour slower than the RV-4! The handling qualities and STOL characteristics were so close that a pilot who couldn’t see the altered visual picture caused by sitting off the centerline probably couldn’t tell the RV-4 and RV-6 apart. One limit to RV sales had always been the fact that they were all tailwheel airplanes. They had no nasty habits and in many ways were easier to fly and land than many production tailwheel aircraft, but there was no denying that many prospective customers had never had the chance to even try a tailwheel and were reluctant to plunge into building one. Installing a nose wheel solved the problem. The RV-6A featured a very simple tricycle gear, with steel rod main gear legs and a free castoring nosewheel. The nosegear leg was supported by the steel engine mount and required no complicated steering mechanisms or shock absorbers. The modification resulted in very little weight gain and almost negligible performance loss…in fact; it is not unusual for a given trigear RV-6A to be slightly lighter and faster than a specific RV-6. Landing and taxi became easier than ever. After the RV-6A was flying, Van’s designed another major change. A sliding canopy became an option on both the RV-6 and RV-6A. This proved very popular in hot climates, where long taxis under a burning sun could become very uncomfortable. Sliding the canopy back and hanging an elbow over the rail made the pilot cool two ways! Because the tail and wings are identical on the RV-6 and RV-6A, a customer can build a great deal of the airplane before committing to a landing gear or canopy design. RV-6 Specifications Exterior Dimensions Span 23 ft Length 20 ft 2 in Height 5 ft 3 in Wing Area 110 sq ft Weights Empty Weight 965 lbs Gross Weight 1600 lbs Loadings Wing Loading lb/sq ft Power Loading 10 lb/hp.
Size: 5394px × 3691px
Location: Inverness, Dalcross Airport. Highland Region. Scotland. United Kingdom.
Photo credit: © David Gowans / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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