Located: N.W. Houston, Tx
Certified for flight late December 2011, first flight January 2012.
Engine and airframe hours: 278
One owner/builder
Always hangered
No damage history
Air frame: a Quick Build, sliding canopy. Built exactly to plans.
Engine: ECI IO-360 with AE Mechanical fuel injection and twin Light Speed Plasma II variable timing electronic ignitions.
Alternators: two both B&E
one 40 Amp belt driven
one 20 Amp emergency, gear driven
Both have electronics located behind the inst. panel away from engine heat. Gear driven automatically takes over if primary fails.
Avionics:
DYNON D180 EFIS and EMS w/ ultra bright screen
DYNON HS34 interface panel
GARMIN 430W Transceiver/GPS combination.
I-FLY 740 GPS
ICOM A220 VHF Air Band Transceiver
GARMIN 240 Audio Panel
GARMIN 327 GTS Transponder
EXP-BUS Load Center w/ constant voltage monitor/failure lights
Trio Avionics EZ series Altitude Control System
Trio Avionics EZ Pilot series Auto Pilot
NAVWORX ADS600-EXP
ZAON FLIGHT Syst PCAS XRX
Aircraft can be certified IFR
Propellers:
• Two blade: Prince Propellers "P" tip carbon fiber over wood
• Three blade: Performance Propellers - laminated wood
The 3 blade makes it a fast airplane; 200mph with ½ tanks and only me. The 2 blade is more economical but not as fast.
(Spinners for both)
Flightline Custom fabric interior - grey
Exterior: Mitsubishi "Sunset Pearl Opalescent" metal flake.
The vertical stabilizer has a large decal, on each side, depicting a blonde haired woman wrapped in an American flag riding a paint bucking horse.
Brackett aircraft orange tow bar.
Avionics / Equipment
DYNON D180 EFIS and EMS w/ ultra bright screen
DYNON HS34 interface panel
GARMIN 430W Transceiver/GPS combination.
I-FLY 740 GPS
ICOM A220 VHF Air Band Transceiver
GARMIN 240 Audio Panel
GARMIN 327 GTS Transponder
EXP-BUS Load Center w/ constant voltage monitor/failure lights
Trio Avionics EZ series Altitude Control System
Trio Avionics EZ Pilot series Auto Pilot
ADSB in/out
NAVWORX ADS600-EXP
ZAON FLIGHT Syst PCAS XRX
Aircraft can be certified IFR
The second alternator was added to provide a backup system to provide power to the electronic ignition system if the primary generator should fail. Since the installation of the B&E primary alternator, there have been no alternator issues.
Airframe
A standard Vans Aircraft RV-7A Quick Build Kit.
Constructed to Plans no deviations. Electric flaps and horizontal/vertical trim. Equipped with navigation and strobe lights for nighttime flying. Auto-pilot and altitude hold servos are located in the starboard wing and behind the bulkhead divider in the fuselage.
Engines / Mods / Prop
Engine is an ECI IO-360 with twin Lightspeed Plasma II electronic ignitions. Fuel injection is a mechanical type with return lines to carry excess fuel to the tank currently being used. Cylinders were manufactured to accept automotive spark plugs. No cylinder spark plug adaptors to provide a contact point that can concentrate heat. Because of the fuel injection and the electronic ignitions the Horsepower rating is slightly above the normal 360 cu. in engine rating of 180Hp, 188 - 190Hp. Two propellers are provided; a 2 blade Prince propeller and a
3 blade Performance propeller. both are wood laminate and provide good service. The 3 blade is faster and provides additional drag when slowing down to enter a landing pattern. However, the added performance means fuel burn is slightly higher than the two blade. I find the 3 blade preferrable because RVs are notoriously difficult to slow down and the additional drag from the extra propeller blade makes the plane easier to transition to the airport environment.
Interior / Exterior
The interior was done by Flightline aircraft interiors. I chose cloth because, with the clear canopy and the plane the sitting in the sun, the heat can cause leather to prematurely dry and crack. I have been very pleased with the Flightline interior.
Remarks
MY RV-7A has proven to be a reliable, and efficient way for me to turn longer car trips into short and pleasant flights. It has also provided many of my non-pilot friends the opportunity to experience stalls, alerion rolls and high G loops. Prior to covid, it provided me with countless, very enjoyable, Saturday or Sunday flights with my pilot friends to our favorite $100.00 hamburger restaurants. Everyone who owns a plane needs to make the trip to the Mecca of experimental aircraft ownership at Oshkosh Wisconsin. Sadly, we all get older.
Aircraft Insurance
