Photograph:
Vans RV-10 VH-VIO (c/n 40024) at Narromine, NSW in April 2007 (David C Eyre)
Country of origin:
United States of America
Description:
Four-seat sport and touring monoplane
Power Plant:
One 194 kw (260 hp) Textron Lycoming IO-540 six-cylinder horizontally-opposed air-cooled engine
Specifications:
- Wingspan: 9.68 m (31 ft 9 in)
- Length: 7.44 m (24 ft 5 in)
- Height: 2.72 m (8 ft 11 in)
- Wing area: 13.75 m² (148 sq ft)
- Max speed: 334 km/h (208 mph)
- Normal cruising speed at 75% power: 317 km/h (197 mph)
- Economical cruising speed at 55% power: 282 km/h (175 mph)
- Stalling speed flaps down: 102 km/h (63 mph)
- Max rate of climb at sea level: 442 m/min (1,450 ft/min)
- Service ceiling: 6,096 m (20,000 ft)
- Range at 75% power at 2,438 m (8,000 ft): 1,327 km (825 miles)
- Empty weight: 726 kg (1,600 lb)
- Loaded weight: 1,224 kg (2,700 lb)
History:
The RV-10 series was the first foray by Richard Vans Grunsven of Vans Aircraft into the manufacture of a kit for a four-seat aircraft, and the prototype (N410RV) was flown for the first time on 29 May 2003. It was first exhibited to the public at the EAA Air Venture event at Oshkosh, Wisconsin in July 2003 and the delivery of kits to homebuilders began in September that year. The aircraft was similar to other members of the RV family but was somewhat larger, had a 194 kw (260 hp) Textron Lycoming IO-540 engine, had seating for four persons and had a fixed tricycle undercarriage. Fuel capacity was 227 litres (50 Imp gals).
The RV-10 was described as a low-wing, four-place, all-metal monoplane designed to take engines in the 149 kw (200 hp) to 194 kw (260 hp) range. It was intended to be a moderately fast touring aeroplane with a reasonable amount of baggage but was not aerobatic. The wing was of constant chord design with a wingspan of 9.68 m (31 ft 9 in) and had single slotted flaps. Access was via a door on each side. Engines which could be installed other than the Lycoming IO-540 included the Continental IO-360, PZL Franklin 6A-350, and the Continental IO-470 and IO-520.
First RV-10 kits were imported to Australia in 2004 and the first aircraft completed was VH-RDM (c/n 774136) registered to its Peakhurst, NSW owner on 28 September 2004, being followed by VH-ZSP (c/n 40256) in December 2005. A number of further examples have been completed and flown in Australia and New Zealand. In July 2016 VH-ICY was flown to a new owner in New Zealand where it became ZK-PHL.