Van’s Aircraft Venture

1. Van’s Aircraft Venture Scott Dosson - Jason Flanigan - Jacob Schulz - Chi-Hong Yung RV-8 Conceptual Design RV-7 Production The production of the RV-7 began with a partially constructed aircraft. Industrial Sponsor: Nicholas Montei Industrial Advisor: Trevor Ruckle Faculty Advisor: Mei Zhuang Total Kit Price - $18,855.00 • Van’s Aircraft Inc. began in 1973 when they designed their first kit (the RV-3), since then 5,094 kits have been completed. • The kit includes all structural components, and building plans. • Engine, instruments, propeller, and interior must be purchased separately according to pilot preference. Project Synopsis The purpose of this project was two-fold: first, provide JMT Farms with a high performance conceptual RV-8 design that is efficient and cost effective; secondly, assist JMT Farms in the construction of a fully functional RV-7 aircraft. The design of the RV-8 included engine, propeller, and instrumentation selection. The main concerns regarding the selection of these components deal with cost, FAA regulations, and unknown customer preference. This design is aimed at providing the company with an aircraft that fulfills FAA regulations while producing the largest profit available. JMT Farms plans to use the design of the RV-8 for future production. Kit Components Engine Price - $37,160.00 • Lycoming is the largest producer of experimental aircraft engines. • The RV-8 model can fit engines of 160, 180, 200, and 260 horsepower. • Comparing different aspects of the engines such as top speed, cruise speed, and climb rate, it was determined that the 200 HP fuel injected four cylinder engine was the best choice for the money. The first step was to construct the canopy and tail assembly, including rudder, elevators, and vertical-horizontal stabilizers. Lycoming 360 Series Propeller Price - $2,090.00 • There are two categories of propellers to choose from; fixed pitch and constant speed (C/S). • Fixed Pitch props are efficient at one operating condition, while C/S are efficient at all operating conditions and are on average 3X more expensive. • A Sensenich fixed pitch propeller was selected for the RV-8, because of lower price and greater durability. JMT Background JMT Farms is a family owned business based out of Caro, Michigan. The company is planning on producing high performance planes utilizing kit aircraft offered by Van’s Aircraft. These aircrafts will then be marketed to pilots across the country. JMT Farms has recently completed the construction of an Ultra-Light aircraft and is in the process of selling it. Sensenich Propellers Instruments/Avionics Total Price - $13,431.70 The next major step was to attach the motor mount, landing gear, engine, and wings. • FAA regulations categorize planes as visual flight or instrument flight. • Planes built in the Instrument Flight Rules category can be flown in inclement weather, but require further pilot certification. • Instruments can be purchased in digital combination units, or single analog gauges. Digital display instruments have a luxurious appeal and a slightly lower price, so they were chosen for the RV-8. Design Team Economic Analysis • 2000 hour build time with a 5.00% interest rate • Sale price based on current RV-8 selling prices • This analysis does not include company start-up costs such as location fees and equipment purchases • It is recommended that JMT Farms does not put the RV-8 into production, based on a low profit margin. With the main structural components completed, the team spent over 400 hours in finalizing the construction of the aircraft.