Van's Aircraft RV-9

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An RV-9A at Hanover, Ontario 2006

An RV-9A – the nose wheel equipped version of the RV-9 at an ice strip fly-in near Ottawa, Ontario 2005

The Van's RV-9 and RV-9A are two-seat, single-engine, low-wing homebuilt airplanes sold in kit form by Van's Aircraft. The RV-9 is the tail-wheel equipped version while the RV-9A features a nose-wheel. The RV-9 is a development of the RV-6 and RV-7 and is externally similar to both those designs.

1 Development
2 Aircraft Type Club
3 Specifications (RV-9A)
4 Related content

[edit] Development

The architect of the line of Van’s aircraft, Richard VanGrunsven, designed the RV-9 as a departure from the concepts of the earlier RV series. The earlier members of the RV series, starting with the single seat RV-3, were all designed to have light handling, aerobatic capabilities along with fast cruise speeds and short field STOL capabilities. The RV-9 was designed from the start as a two-place, side-by-side, touring aircraft and as such it forgoes the aerobatic capabilities and the lighter handling for more stability and economy. As such the design horsepower is 118-160 and the prototype was flown with a Lycoming O-235 powerplant of 118 hp as a proof-of-concept for the lower horsepower.

As a result of the lessons learned over the years in producing the first five RV-series designs and the change in role for this aircraft, the RV-9 design incorporated many changes over previous designs. Compared to the similar RV-7, the RV-9 has a wing of increased span and higher aspect ratio using a Roncz airfoil. The RV-9 has a slow stall speed, comparable to the Cessna 150, and docile handling suitable for low-time pilots. The cruise speed is a very respectable 167 mph TAS even with the 118 hp engine.

The RV-9 shares many common parts with the RV-7 and the RV-8 which reduces production costs. Like those aircraft, the RV-9 uses computer assisted design to produce a kit with pre-drilled rivet holes, thus greatly reducing assembly time for the builder.

The RV-9 is unique in Van’s aircraft history in that the tricycle gear RV-9A version was flown first on June 15, 2000, three years before the tail wheel version flew. The later conventional landing gear equipped RV-9 was first flown by its designer in 2002. The RV-9A features tubular steel landing gear 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] Aircraft Type Club

The RV-9 and RV-9A have a very active aircraft type club Van's Air Force that provides support for owners and pilots of these aircraft.

[edit] Specifications (RV-9A)

Specifications are given for 118 hp, O-235 configuration with a fixed pitch propeller

General characteristics

Crew: one pilot
Capacity: one passenger
Length: 20 ft 5 in (6.28 m)
Wingspan: 28 ft 0 in (8.62 m)
Height: 6 ft 0 in (1.85 m)
Wing area: 124 ft² (11.5 m²)
Empty weight: 1057 lb (478 kg)
Loaded weight: 1,600 lb (724 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 1,600lb (724kg)
Powerplant: 1× Lycoming O-235 or Lycoming O-320 fixed pitch, 118-160hp (88-119 kW)

Performance

Never exceed speed: mph (km/h)
Maximum speed: 173 mph at sea level (280 km/h)
Range: 875 statute miles at cruise 75% power at 8,000 ft (1,418 km at cruise 75% power at 2,500 m)
Service ceiling: 14,500 ft (4,400 m)
Rate of climb: 1,000 ft/min (5.1 m/s)
Wing loading: 12.9 lb/ft² (65 kg/m²)