Vans RV10 (four seat)

General Description

The RV-10 is a low wing airplane with a fixed tricycle landing gear
 (no tailwheel or retractable options are planned). It uses slotted flaps and mass-balanced control surfaces. The primary structure is aluminium with a composite cabin top and doors. 

Engines the RV-10 is designed to accept

The six cylinder (I)O-540 Lycoming. The prototype has the maximum acceptable 260 hp version. Other engines from 200-260 hp might be adapted, but current kits are designed around the six cylinder Lycoming.

Performance

Sufficient power and an excellent wing give the RV-10 very good performance. Tests of N410RV, our RV-10 prototype, revealed some impressive numbers.

Flown at 2200 lbs, representing a typical two-people-and-three-quarters-fuel weight, it achieved a take-off distance of 360’ and a landing distance of 525’. The climb rate averaged about 1700 fpm. At 75% power and 8000’, true airspeed topped the magic 200 mph mark...actually, it was 201 smph. 

The Cabin

Gull-wing doors let occupants board from both sides. A large baggage door provides access to the aft cabin. Special Oregon Aero impact-absorbing front seats are standard. Controls are ball bearing/pushrod assemblies wiggled by conventional between-the-knees sticks on both sides. Removable rear seatbacks allow two people to travel with lots of baggage. With rear seats installed, the cabin will accommodate four adults, up to 6’4" in the front and about 6’ 2" in the rear.

Kits

RV-10 Standard Kits will be similar to current two-seat RV kits: a four-kit sequence of Empennage, Wing, Fuselage and Finishing Kit.

In the case of the RV-10, the Empennage Kit also includes the fuselage tailcone. Wing kits include all the components for the wing panels, ailerons and flaps. Composite wingtips are moulded to accept streamlined lenses around position/strobe lights. The Fuselage Kit contains all the components between the tailcone and the firewall It includes the composite cabin top, moulded in one piece from high strength composites and including the necessary recesses for the doors and windows. The door and window components will be part of the Finishing Kit, along with cowlings, landing gear and fairings. Like all current RVs, the aluminium parts are fully "matched-hole." Steel assemblies, like engine mounts and landing gear supports, are all welded, powder-coated and ready to install.

QuickBuild Kits will be available in mid-to-late 2004. We project that these will reduce building times by about 35%. Partial QB kits (QB wing, QB fuselage), and some other options are in the planning stages.

How much will it cost to build and fly?

We expect that a new RV-10 with a mid-time engine should cost less than most used production airplanes of comparable performance — many of which are now 35-40 years old. There is, of course, no fair comparison to new factory airplanes of similar performance – an RV-10 built of entirely new components will cost far less than anything on the market today, but you can’t simply buy one and fly it away. The RV-10 should compare very favourably with any four-place kit airplane on the market, in both performance and cost-to-build. Like other RV models, the finished cost is largely determined by decisions made by the builder.
 

The RV-10 is a different kind of airplane than any previous RV, cost estimates will vary even more than usual. We estimate that an RV-10 built from a standard kit, using a new engine and prop and a VFR panel (in other words, much like our prototype) will cost $90-100,000. The same airplane with a good used engine, used avionics and similar cost-saving measures might cost around $70,000.

RV-10 Specifications
Exterior Dimensions
Span 31 ft 9in.
Length 24 ft 5 in.
Height 8 ft 11 in
Wing Area 148 sq ft
Weights
Empty Weight 1600 lbs 
Gross Weight 2700 lbs
Loadings
Wing Loading   18.6 lb/sq ft
Power Loading  10.4  lb/hp
Powerplant/Systems
Engine 200-260 hp
Propeller  Hartzell C/S
Fuel Capacity 60 US gal
Other
Baggage 100 lbs

 Interior Dimensions and Baggage Area

RV-10 Performance

Speed and ranges in statute mph. 
210/235 hp performance are estimated.
Prototype is equipped w/ 260hp and constant-speed prop.
   Light Weight 2200 lbs
 Gross Weight 2700 lbs
>210 hp 235 hp 260 hp
Speed - Light Weight
Top Speed 197 mph 204 mph 211 mph
Cruise [75% @ 8000 ft] 187 mph 194 mph 201 mph
Cruise [55% @ 8000 ft] 168 mph 174 mph 180 mph
Stall Speed 57 mph 57 mph 57 mph
Speed - Gross Weight
Top Speed 194 mph 201 mph 208 mph
Cruise [75% @ 8000 ft] 183 mph 190 mph 197 mph
Cruise [55% @ 8000 ft] 163 mph 169 mph 175 mph
Stall Speed 63 mph 63 mph 63 mph
Ground Performance - Light Weight
Takeoff Distance 483 ft 415 ft 360 ft
Landing Distance 500 ft 500 ft 525 ft
Ground Performance - Gross Weight
Takeoff Distance 686 ft 583 ft 500 ft
Landing Distance 650 ft 650 ft 650 ft
Climb/Ceiling - Light Weight
Rate of Climb 1,388 fpm 1,669 fpm 1,950 fpm
Ceiling 17,077 ft 20,538 ft 24,000 ft
Climb/Ceiling - Gross Weight
Rate of Climb 992 fpm 1,221 fpm 1,450 fpm
Ceiling 13,678 ft 16,839 ft 20,000 ft
Range
Range [75% @ 8000 ft] 951 sm 883 sm 825 sm
Range [55% @ 8000 ft]
 
1,153 sm
 
1070 sm
 
1000 sm