Sun N Fun 2018

RV-10 Specific –

A few thoughts after speaking with RV-10 builders at the event:

Be careful about weight. Everyone I spoke with had “the heavy one (RV-10)”.

The Vic Syracuse electric trim tab in the rudder was in 3 of the 5 RV-10s I took a look at and was highly recommended by the owners whom I spoke with. The 4th guy had planned it but got invited into the paint shop before he could install it and never went back.

The stock vents may not be enough and an overhead console with two tailcone mounted NACA vents is the solution to the air flow (weight problem though?)

NO static wicks on ANY RV I saw.

Half of the ’10’s had VOR antenna mounted in the tail. Both were mounted in the upper fiberglass fairing of the VS. One had the approx 3″ straight out sections before the angled portions of the element began and the owner said that he had to bend them out further as they impacted the rudder. His was rear facing. The other was also mounted in the same place and had the straight elements but his was forward facing.

A center console makes accessing the tunnel more work and if the console goes to the panel it will take away knee room. If there are radios in the console it adds to the work to remove the console in proportion to the equipment located in it. There are spots in the tunnel where you can add an access panel (even prefabricated ones) (Airward Inc). One side is good, but both sides is better!

If you have a (3) bladed prop it is a bit trickier to remove the bottom cowling with the nose gear leg. Some cut long slots in the bottom of the cowling so they can drop the cowling down over the gear leg. There is a RAM air option (Rod Bower Aviation) that has a filtered intake and unfiltered ram air that one owner told me gave him 2 inches of MP that requires modifying the cowling. This will add to the complexity of the build but he said that by adding a removable scoop on the bottom of the cowl he can do oil changes without removing the cowl and when he does remove the cowl it comes off very easy once the bottom scoop is removed.

Takeaways –

Weight seems to be a real problem as each owner said they had the “heavy one”.
Do not have a center console that runs the full length to the panel as it makes tunnel access very time consuming and takes knee room away. Add side access panels to the tunnel for access on both sides.
Factory air vents do not provide enough airflow. An overhead console will help with this ALOT.
Run a large wire back to baggage area to run portable Arctic Air AC unit (approx $5k, 7,000 BTU unit at 27 amps) and 42 pounds).
Take a close look at the smoother running (3) blade and the challenge it makes for bottom cowl removal. Some cut large slot in bottom cowl to drop down into nose gear leg while others make removable scoop on bottom of cowl.

General Info From Vendors

Vertical Power –

They have two power systems that mount cabin side of firewall. The VP-X Sport has (24) circuits on a single bank and The VP-X Pro has (32) circuits on (2) independent banks with (16) per side. They also have a PPS (Primary Power System) that has reverse polarity and over current protection that goes upstream of the VP-X firewall forward. The main benefits I could see are that you can program each circuit up to the maximum amount of current available on that circuit, integration of warnings into the EFIS (from their list of EFIS providers that are compatible with VP-X), and you lose (2) connections per circuit. You no longer have a switch to a breaker connection. You lose the breaker as that is part of the VP-X (if you use the circuit breaker switch you save nothing with the VP-X here).

Positive –

can show warnings on EFIS
can program to not allow flap deployment above certain air speeds etc (I think?)
save (2) connections and panel spaces if using vs switch with separate breaker per circuit

Negative –

anther thing to program. Could be rather hard to remember failure modes of systems with another programmable microprocessor in the mix?
higher cost if you do not need 24 or 32 circuits?
requires EFIS manufactur to continue to support VP into future as you need EFIS because VP does not offer a screen.

E-Mag Electronic Ignition

So these ignitions have a built in power supply. They use the ships power a back up in the event the three phase built in mini brush-less alternator fails. Super neat product and you only install one “unit” in place of the magneto without multiple boxes elsewhere etc. Really neat. They are working on a certified version that will have two brains inside so if one fails you have backup on that ignition.

Positive –

Positive
gain in cruise as you have variable timing. In climb it will have similar timing to the old magnetos.

Arctic Air

They have a very nice (and portable) real A/C unit that will produce 7,000 BTU of cooling at 27 amps on 12 volts. Seems like a nice unit to stuff in the baggage area that can be used for short trips and removed for long cross country trips. The unit looked very well put together.

Positive –