Photograph:
Vans RV-7 VH-RHK4 (c/n 72338) at Gulgong, NSW in February 2010 (David C Eyre)
Country of origin:
United States of America
Description:
Two-seat light sport aircraft
Power Plant:
One 134 kw (180 hp) Lycoming IO-360 four-cylinder horizontally-opposed air-cooled engine
Specifications:
- Wingspan: 7.62 m (25 ft)
- Length: 6.21 m (20 ft 4 in)
- Height: 2.41 m (7 ft 10 in)
- Wing area: 11.25 m² (121 sq ft)
- Max speed: 348 km/h (216 mph)
- Max cruising speed: 332 km/h (206 mph)
- Stalling speed: 93 km/h (58 mph)
- Rate of climb: 579 m/min (1,900 ft/min)
- Service ceiling: 6,858 m (22,500 ft)
- Range: 1,417 km (880 miles)
- Empty weight: 505 kg (1,114 lb)
- Loaded weight: 816 kg (1,800 lb)
History:
The RV-7 series is another high-performance sporting monoplane offered by Vans Aircraft of North Plains, Oregon for amateur construction. The RV-7 is similar to other aircraft in the range, being available with a tailwheel undercarriage (RV-7) or with a tricycle undercarriage (RV-7A). It is available as an amateur built aircraft, or may be obtained as a “quickbuild kit”, this reducing construction time by 50 percent. Construction is all-metal and the power plant usually installed is the Lycoming O-360 series driving a fixed or constant-speed propeller. Engines in the 112 kw (150 hp) to 164 kw (220 hp) range may be installed.
Many parts of the RV-7 are common with the RV-8, RV-8A and RV-9, this reducing inventory costs. Computer aided design and computer controlled production tools help with the fit of parts. In the RV-7 series a computerised punch press locates and punches all rivet holes during manufacture. Pre-fabricated wing spars are standard.
Designed to perform the same basic task as the RV-6 series, the RV-7 will accept larger engines, has greater legroom, headroom and useful load, has an increase in wingspan and wing area, and the fuel capacity was increased from 144 litres (31.6 Imp gals) to 159 litres (35 Imp gals). At the time of its introduction it was said to be the most highly advanced kit Vans had produced and the easiest to build. Baggage capacity is 45 kg (100 lb).
Vans has supplied more than 6,000 kit planes around the world, and more than 100 RV-7s and RV-7As have been completed in Australia and New Zealand.