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RVotter Modifications
Although the RV-4 has been flown 1250+ hours, I don't think it was even flown
over 100 hours without some kind of modification. We'll use this page to keep
you updated on the latest changes.
| September 3, 2002: Tracy did the
interior painting last month, but I didn't photograph it until now.
At least it looks better than puke green, peeling gray applied with a
brush and body filler! |
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| August 12, 2002: After 8 years of
sitting in the back seat looking at various colors of primer and bare
metal, Laura decided it was time to DO something about it. Below are
photos of prepping the RV-4 for interior panting. Advice to all
wives of RV builders: Do NOT let your husband fly the plane until he
paints the interior. Doing it after the fact is no fun! |
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| July 4, 2002: I can't type fast enough to
keep up with the changes. I think Tracy slept too well last night.
Now he is modifying the air inlet on the right side of the cowl to correct
the deficient cooling discovered during the cooling
tests conducted earlier this year. Of course, he did not take any
"before" photos, but below is the "after" picture.
Test flights on 7/6/02 indicate a 10 degree cooling improvement in
flight. Significant, that is for sure. |
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| July 1, 2002: Tracy decided he had enough of
the remaining "Lycoming Lump" on the bottom of the RV-4
cowl. He originally modified it when the plane was first built, and
used the remaining protrusion for the muffler. Since the Spintech
muffler was installed (no longer under the cowl), he decided to remove the
lump completely. As you look at the photos, remember the fiberglass is NOT
Tracy's forte. |
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| Sleek new cowl for the RVotter. |
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| Installing heat reflective material. |
RVotter profile before the modification |
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| We use only the finest techniques at RWS. |
Not too bad, Tracy! |
| June, 2002. Tracy and Benie Kerr did some
speed runs on the way to the Memphis Rotary gathering. Following
that, Tracy decided he better start cleaning up the RVotter (enough said
on that topic). He started by designing new wing root fairings. The
"go fast guys" use the stock black trim fairings, but Tracy hypothesized
that he could maximize performance by using a combination of the stock
fairing on the leading 1/2 of the wing and a modified fairing on the rear
1/2 of the wing. |
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| April, 2002: After many years of jokes about
the 200 mph duct tape and finest aluminum foil on his engine installation,
Tracy decided to clean it up prior to Sun n Fun this year. Below are
the results. |
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| Close up - left side. |
Close up - right side |
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| Showing radiator placement and RD-1B. |
Looking down the snouter (as Laura says) |
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Real World Solutions, Inc
