Re: Harmon Rocket II questions

On Mon, 31 Oct 2005 15:39:13 GMT, "comanche driver"
<fighterace@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

>ive just got to respond to this.
>
>1. the failures of RV-3 wings were fixed years and years ago, from what ive
>been told it was not a design problem but a problem with the way people were
>assembling the wing. Van redesigned it anyway, for added strength.
>2. this my cousin knows someones brother that said---- crap, don't cut it.
>Talk to Van. he will tell you exactly what you want to know. his web site
>has all the details of the RV-8 wing separation and the testing that was
>done after to re-prove the design.
>3. check the FAA data base yourself, I have and there has NOT been one
>in-flight failure of a wing on a RV-4.
>4. with over 3000 planes flying and several thousand more in construction,
>stating that the RV line has weak wings, is pure horsesh--.
>
>yes , I am biased, but I will put my RV-4 up against anything out there. Van
>is one of the most honest and talented designers out there and his success
>more than proves his designs.
>
>R. Burns
>RV-4 N82RB
>
I dug a little deeper and found an excellent article in the Jan.1983
Sport Aviaton, pages 51-55. It was written by R.Van. and is quite
detailed and revealing about the 4 fatal RV-3 wing failure accidents.
It brings up a lot of little known issues pertaining to the FAA's
oversight of homebuilts. Such as the issuance of a GENOT against the
RV-3 prohibiting any aerobatics in them. I never knew the FAA could
issue such a rule against a homebuilt. Since they are supposed to be
51% built by the homebuilder, each one should be viewed as an
individual plane, not related to others. But apparently not in the
FAA's eyes.
On another note, the RV-3 is in my opinion the only really
good-looking RV design. Until the Harmon Rocket came along that is.
The rest of them are, well, lets say they don't get me enthused enough
to want to build one. But then, some builders are more interested in
other things. The RV-4 looks pretty good too, but seems small for 2
people.
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Harmon Rocket II questions
    ... the failures of RV-3 wings were fixed years and years ago, ... >>assembling the wing. ... Van redesigned it anyway, for added strength. ... >>done after to re-prove the design. ...
    (rec.aviation.homebuilt)
  • Re: Ostfront or fancy projects: German aircraft designers in 1944-1945
    ... look for a successful design that did that looks similar ... The J-35 engine was too large to fit in the P.1101 ... German personalities and the sequence ... As an example the X-5 could not land if the wing sweep was greater ...
    (rec.aviation.military)
  • Re: 52/1 Performance in a 15M ship at half the weight.
    ... Cole’s Sailplane factory is in Bend Oregon. ... Company, Cirrus Design, Lancair, and Adam Aircraft. ... Designs that can be made light with small wing areas offer improved ...
    (rec.aviation.soaring)
  • Re: 52/1 Performance in a 15M ship at half the weight.
    ... wasn't suitable for soaring. ... Cole’s Sailplane factory is in Bend Oregon. ... Company, Cirrus Design, Lancair, and Adam Aircraft. ... Designs that can be made light with small wing areas offer improved ...
    (rec.aviation.soaring)
  • Re: Ostfront or fancy projects: German aircraft designers in 1944-1945
    ... look for a successful design that did that looks similar ... Lets see now the claim is the X-5 ... German personalities and the sequence ... Messeschmitts swept wing development or because you don't report it ...
    (rec.aviation.military)