RivetBangers.com

I'm a little annoyed with Van's regarding their dimensioning documentation of the cockpits. Drawings on the website are pathetically inadequate. I know, I know, find a plane and sit in it. The first RV I got a chance to fly was a -6, and it definitely did not have enough headroom for me. I was slouched down and with tilted head.

Since then I've been in a couple of -7, and a -9, and headroom was adequate. Lately I've been pondering getting back to building, and wondering if the -12 would be a better choice for me than the -7 I started years ago.

So last weekend I tracked down a nearby -12 owner. Van's shows the same headroom in the -12 as in the -7, but I did not fit in the -12. Head was touching the canopy without a headset. I'm not exactly a giant at 6'1", but when it comes to cars and airplanes, too damn much of that is in my torso.

I think if the canopy were less curved I'd be fine. Or if I made it a solo plane with the seat in the middle. (I'd have to reverse the rudder pedal action.) But I don't really want a solo plane.

Anyway, it would be nice if Van's understood that the long side and the hypotenuse of a triangle are not equal, and made some decent drawings showing the full range of seat and seat back positions and the resultant pilot dimensions that could be accommodated.

I'm no expert by any means, having not reached that part of the build, but I would think there are some other ways to squeeze you in a 12. If you certify it as E-LSA, you might not have these options, but there is always the E-AB route...

I'd try Todd's canopies. From what I've seen they can do some pretty good custom work and they might be able to increase your head room. http://www.toddscanopies.com/index.php?id=4

The other area to look at is seat height. Surely with the brain-trust on here there are some ideas for a few ways to lower your sitting height. It doesn't sound like you'd have to do a lot to make the 12 viable.

But, I feel your pain with Van's. Great planes, and a good company, but many times the information provided is less than I'd like to see.

In each of the model there are a variety of variables and options that will effect your comfort as a tall person.

The first is the seat cushion. A thinner seat cushion can gain you some head space. Not all vendors create them with the same dimensions.

I've also seen the seat back angle changed slightly to give you additional head clearance.

I don't fit well in a RV-7 either. My legs cramp quickly. So I built a RV-10. I would have probably built a RV-14, but that option wasn't available at the time.

bob

Prestwich, there's another option that you may not have known about or considered. Anti-splat-aero makes a modification for the RV-6, 7, and 9 seats that greatly increases the roominess and comfort for the seats. It's called the "Almost an RV-14 Seat Mod". For less than a couple hundred bucks, you can have the roominess and headroom of the RV-14. Here's a link for more information on it. There's a video here, too:

http://www.antisplataero.com/Almost_a_R ... t_Mod.html

My disclaimer... I haven't seen one of these mods in person, so I can't vouch for it personally. I have nothing to gain here whatsoever. It's just something I was aware of that you might benefit from if you check it out. Shoot, it might make finishing your RV-7 a much more attractive proposition!

Cheers!