Vans RV-3 - Pilot for a Day 

yesss!

Yes please! This was awesome!

Geez, thanks man

Next time

@@CompleteWalkaround Do you have a third video format planned? If so, you should start teasing/torturing us by dropping subtle pithy hints as you develop it, so as to keep us breaking out the drool buckets each time.

I suppose the complete flights channel will be the 3rd format. That's another work in progress... With a extremely interesting development just this weekend. **** suspense ****

Oh thank you. I just noticed that he username 😎

Oh yes. Considering I make the other videos on the patio with a cocktail in my pajamas.

@@CompleteWalkaroundrecipe?!!!

@@CompleteWalkaroundthere’s a vision in my mind’s eye 😂😂😂

He own's this RV-3. He'd need to buy a bunch more airplanes to do more videos, lol. Or have a bunch of friends!

​@@flyod26just need to make this channel go viral with millions of subscribers!

Sweet! RV3 Guys got to stick together :)

I would say there was some inspiration there for sure.

Thanks man 👍

Thanks. That's gonna be a theme for sure

Thanks!

Not ready but several in the works. Thanks !

Nice.

Sure. Just for you 😉

Very kind. Thanks

Yes, Learning the black magic of fuel injection is another topic. Are you connected to the vans factory somehow?

@@CompleteWalkaround just in the area :) can help you with going for flights, meeting up with EAA, finding somewhere to stay, etc.

I know right. People say power to weight but vans lists it as weight to power. I could reverse the graph...

Ya, I reversed the graph. Good call

You got it

Sweet!

Thanks 👍

Not yet

After I install a new panel

Thanks. I'm more of a single pilot airplane sort of guy though. Maybe someday if I can get all the details

Damn. 😉

Thanks. All Killer No Filler

Sure can you get me in one?

@@CompleteWalkaround I think I’ve got one in my spare bedroom. Let me look around.

@sdsorrentino Ok let me know. Too bad I sold mine before I started making videos

@@CompleteWalkaround in all seriousness, I like this style of video. Please keep doing them. Don’t stop doing the other kind because they’re awesome. But this is good too.

You can order a new kit today

I sure do. Part of this video was filmed there as I'm sure you noticed.

Believe it or not, I missed the museum building in the background. Confirmation bias that you were at Embrun in all the preflight shots.@@CompleteWalkaround

I didn't make it. It was probably hard

At a lot of the small airports I land at it's hard to say. The wind socks aren't of the variety that indicates the wind speed usually. Based on just eye ballin it, I'd say maybe 12 knots or so. Gusts are more challenging than speed of course in a tail wheel. The day I came to look at this plane the first time the owner did a circuit in it to show me it flies. The wind was howling. He rolled maybe 1/3 the runway before the second wheel came down. It was pretty neat to see from the ground.

Please no… someone made a nosewheel RV-4.. disgusting.. the tailwheel RV series are super easy to fly.. take a few lessons, get a tailwheel endorsement and you’ll be a better pilot overall. Very easy to fly, don’t be intimidated.

@@thomasaltruda I wish I was in the market for a pilot license and/or an aircraft. The budget is much tighter than that unfortunately. I was just wondering out of the knowledge that having a tail wheel is an unstable config for crosswinds and generally around a runway. Also I learned from this channel that is more costly, as you pay a premium in insurance for having one(?)

It's sold

Oh, that’s sad to here. But I’m glad your enjoying your RV3! All of Vans planes are great!

Good question. Yes. Though, I can't prove it has 165 exactly. That's what it's supposed to have with high compression cylinders it has installed.

The text said IO-360.. which is a 200HP angle valve engine.. or it could be a 180hp with fuel injection.. both have been installed in the -3.. but pretty rare. I think it most likely has a carbed O-320 and 150 to 160hp. I don’t know any Lycoming engine that they made which has 165 hp..

Right on. The full story is that it's an O-320 that has an aftermarket fuel injection system installed as well as high compression cylinders. Not an actual IO. The previous owner told me that it was 165hp. I honestly don't know how that all works out, just going by how it was explained to me. I will try and get more info, I regularly talk to the previous owner as well as the builder. I got a large box of documents and manuals with the plane and haven't sorted through all of it. The plane was built in the 80s, hopefully those details aren't lost. I am curious what the true output is. I do know that when you push the lever all the way forward it makes a lot of noise and moves quickly.

@@CompleteWalkaround yeah it could very well be 165 HP.. sounds like you got about the best engine/prop combo for the plane.. it is the most fun plane out there for sure!! Thanks for the responses!! Enjoy the plane!!

Yes, I will. I need to grow into this format. I'm stuck using Freedom units!

Aye

@@CompleteWalkaround it wasn’t today then. I just flew an approach to mins at CYOW. Sweet plane. Could be decent for XC if it had a simple A/P. It’s fast enough.

I haven't tested the HP of course. That's what the manual says.

Was it Fuel injected? Or carb?

All Killer No Filler

Well below waist height. Regular below for an average person I wager. 😉

I'm actually 190 cm

In my experience, it's the most difficult VANS tailwheel to land. Also worst VANS for cross country since all the others have more room for stuff.

In my experience, the centerline RVs are the easiest to land. The -8 is about 50% more difficult than the -3 or the -4 because of the stiff -8 gear legs. Also the extra weight of the -8 makes it harder to get back under control if it starts to move around on you. The -6 and -7 are pretty easy too once you get over the whole “not on centerline” thing. The -3 is the easier plane for sure.

As for the planes cross country comfort, it really depends on the seat cushions and autopilot,. I would agree that the side by side RVs are slightly better x-county machines.. with the ability to have your lunch next to you is nice.

I’ve a lot of time in the 8 on a bumpy farm strip and I can tell you that a other more basic tailwheel stuff like Cubs or even the Pitts S-2A felt like child’s play in comparison. The Smith Miniplane was interesting though, that is simple on the footwork, but interestingly it’s really unstable in pitch on the initial rollout, hard to keep it from bouncing alternately from the mains to the tailwheel.

@@martinluton6513 to stop that bounce from the mains to the Tailwheel can be stopped by either really pinning the stick full back or just raise the Tailwheel like a wheel landing. I do a lot of Tailwheel instruction, and I find it’s very common that pilots think they pinned the stick back but they aren’t hard against the stop.. also check that you are getting the proper deflection.. I think it’s 30 degrees up on the elevator..