Van's Aircraft RV-10

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An RV-10 at the Van's Aircraft display at Sun n Fun 2006 in Lakeland Florida

The RV-10 from the front, showing the gull-winged doors for cabin entry

The Van's RV-10 is a four-seat, single-engine, low-wing homebuilt airplane sold in kit form by Van’s Aircraft. It is the first four-seat airplane in the popular RV series. The RV-10 first flew in May 2003, and the first kit parts were delivered to a customer in September 2003. As of September 28, 2006, 51 RV-10s have been completed and flown.^[1]

1 Development
2 Pricing
3 Construction Time
4 Aircraft Type Club
5 Specifications (RV-10)
6 Related content

[edit] Development

The architect of the line of Van’s aircraft, Richard VanGrunsven, designed the RV-10 to satisfy a market demand for a four-seat version of the popular RV series aircraft. The RV-10 was designed from the start as a touring aircraft and as such it forgoes the aerobatic capabilities and the lighter handling common to the aircraft in the RV line from the RV-3 to RV-8. Instead the RV-10 design focuses on greater stability and payload.

The design horsepower is 200-260 and the prototype was flown with a Lycoming IO-540 powerplant of 260 hp, which is the maximum that the airframe was designed to accept.

This is the first aircraft in the RV line that does not have a hinged or sliding canopy. VanGrunsven instead opted for two gull-winged doors to provide access to the four seats.

This design has benefited from many of the production changes that were pioneered with the RV-7, RV-8 and the RV-9. Like those aircraft, the RV-10 uses computer assisted design to produce a kit with pre-drilled rivet holes, thus greatly reducing assembly time for the builder. The RV-10 is available only as a tricycle landing gear version and no tailwheel or retractable landing gear versions are planned.

The aircraft is constructed of aluminum with the cabin structure and gull-winged doors made from composite materials. The landing gear is tubular steel with the nosewheel mounting tube welded to the engine mount. As in all nose-wheel equipped RV aircraft, the nosewheel is free castering and the aircraft is steered with differential braking. The brakes are mounted conventionally on the rudder pedal toes.

[edit] Pricing

The total price of the kit as of April 30, 2006, is $36,180. A "quick-build" option with pre-built wings and fuselage is $46,230.^[2] After adding an engine, propeller, avionics and other costs, Van's estimates that the kit can be completed for a total cost between $70,000 and $100,000. Many builders have chosen to install advanced glass cockpit avionics, which can increase the total cost to as much as $150,000.

[edit] Construction Time

The amount of time and effort required to build the airplane can vary greatly, but most builders require 1,000 to 2,000 man-hours to complete the project.

[edit] Aircraft Type Club

The RV-10 has a very active aircraft type club, Van's Air Force, that provides support for builders, owners and pilots of these aircraft.

[edit] Specifications (RV-10)

Specifications are given for 260HP, IO-540 configuration.

General characteristics

Crew: Pilot
Capacity: 4 occupants (Including Pilot)
Length: 24 ft 5 in (7.44 m)
Wingspan: 31 ft 9 in (9.68 m)
Height: 8 ft 8 in (2.64 m)
Wing area: 148 ft² (13.7 m²)
Empty weight: 1,520 lb (689 kg)
Loaded weight: 2,700 lb (1225 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 2600lb (kg)
Powerplant: 1× Lycoming O-540/IO-540 , 210-260hp (157-194 kW)

Performance

Never exceed speed: mph (km/h)
Maximum speed: 208 mph at sea level (332 km/h)
Range: 1,000 miles Cruise 55% power at 8,000 ft (1,600 km)
Service ceiling: 20,000 ft (est) (6,100 m)
Rate of climb: 1,450 ft/min (7.4 m/s)
Wing loading: 18.6 lb/ft² (91 kg/m²)

[edit] Related content

[edit] Related development

[edit] Similar aircraft

[edit] Designation series

RV-3 - RV-4 - RV-6 - RV-7 - RV-8 - RV-9 - RV-10 - RV-11 - RV-12

[edit] External links

[edit] References

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Categories: Homebuilt aircraft | U.S. civil utility aircraft 2000-2009