Harmon HR-2 Rocket II
Vans RV-4 Single-Engine Two-Seat Low-Wing Tail-Dragger Sport Monoplane, USA
Archive Photos 1
Harmon-Smith Rocket II (N464JS, s/n 002, 2004) on display (1/7/2006) at the 2006 Cable Air Show, Upland, California
Overview 2
- Van’s Aircraft RV-4
- Role: Light homebuilt aircraft
- Manufacturer: Van’s Aircraft
- Designer: Richard VanGrunsven
- First flight: August 1979
- Introduction: 1980
- Number built: 1344 (Feb 2012)
- Unit cost: USD$37,000-$73,000
- Developed from: Van’s Aircraft RV-3
The Van’s RV-4 is a light homebuilt aircraft supplied in kit form. It seats two people in a tandem seating configuration with the pilot accommodated in the front seat. The Van’s RV series has become the most popular kit-built aircraft in the world. The RV-4 is the second most popular RV model, outsold only by the now discontinued RV-6. As of February 2010, 1309 RV-4s had been completed and flown worldwide.
Development 2
Richard VanGrunsven designed the RV-4 in the mid 1970s as a two-seat development of the single-seat RV-3. The RV-4 prototype first flew in August 1979.
The RV-4 is a new design based upon the concepts proven in the RV-3 and is not merely a stretched RV-3. The RV-4 airframe will accept a range of engines up to 180 hp (134 kW), including the Lycoming O-360. The RV-4 has a new wing, with increased wingspan and wing area over the RV-3. The RV-4 is designed for sport aerobatics.
Development 2
The RV-4 has proven to be a capable cross country aircraft in service, able to carry two modest sized people and baggage on longer trips. RV-4s have been flown around the world, notably by an Australian, Jon Johanson, who completed world-girdling RV-4 flights on two occasions.
Development 2
Many larger people find the RV-4 cockpit design physically constraining, and as a result VanGrunsven has designed an entire family of derivative designs. The RV-6 was designed to allow side-by-side seating, and the RV-8 was created as an enlarged aircraft that follows the RV-4’s philosophy and offers tandem seating in a bigger aircraft.
Development 2
Unlike most later RV series designs, RV-4 kits are only available with conventional landing gear, although some may have been constructed in tricycle configuration by builders. At least two RV-4’s have also been built with retractable landing gear (mostly for the engineering challenge, as the performance gains were modest).
Variants 2
- RV-4: Basic version.
- Harmon Rocket: Higher performance derivative of the RV-4, with clipped wings, a 400 hp (298 kW) Lycoming IO-540 engine and a razorback turtle-deck.
Specifications (Typical RV-4) 2
General Characteristics
- Crew: pilot
- Capacity: 1 passenger
- Length: 20 ft 4 in (6.20 m)
- Wingspan:
- Height: 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m)
- Wing area: 110 ft² (10.2 m²)
Weights and Loadings
- Empty weight: 905-913 lb (410-414 kg)
- Loaded weight: 1,500 lb (680 kg)
- Max. takeoff weight: 1,500 lb (680 kg)
- Wing loading: 13.64 lb/ft² (67 kg/m²)
Power Plant
- Engine: 1 × Lycoming O-320, O-360 or IO-360, 150-180 hp (110-135 kW)
- Power/mass: 0.1-0.12 hp/lb (0.16-0.20 kW/kg)
Performance
- Never exceed speed: 210 mph (340 km/h)
- Maximum speed, S/L: 200 mph (320 km/h)
- Cruising range, 55% power, 8,000 ft: 725 miles (1,170 km)
- Service ceiling: 23,000 ft (7,000 m)
- Rate of climb: 2450 ft/min (12.5 m/s)
Specifications (Harmon Rocket II) 3
General Characteristics
- Seats: 2
- Span: 21 ft 10 in
- Length: 21 ft 6 in
- Height: 5 ft 6 in
- Wing area: 109 ft²
- Wheel track: 6 ft 6 in
Weights and Loadings
- Empty weight: 1,200 lbs
- Gross weight: 2,000 lbs
- Useful load: 800 lbs
- Power loading: 5.9 lbs/hp
- Wing loading: 16.4 lbs/ft²
Power Plant
- Engine: 250 hp Lycoming 10-540-c4b5, 250 hp at 2,575 rpm
- Propeller diameter: 80 in (Hartzell)
- Fuel Capacity: 42 gal
Performance
- Cruising speed: at 75% power: 230 mph
- Econ. cruise speed at 55% power: 215 mph
- Redline speed: 275 mph
- Rate of climb (Gross): 3,100 ft/min
- Stalling speed: 55 mph
References
- Shupek, John. Photos, copyright © 2006 Skytamer Images. All Rights Reserved
- Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, Van’s Aircraft RV-4
- Harmon Rocket LLC (website), Specifications and Performance
